


Rescue

by RaeMin



Category: ASTRO (Band), Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Hybrid AU, Hybrids, M/M, Multi, PTSD, angst angst and more angst, cat hybrid hyungwon, cat hybrid kihyun, cat hybrid minhyuk, dog hybrid changkyun, dog hybrid jooheon, hybrid trafficking, planning on a happy ending so stay tuned, rescue organization
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-31 08:36:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13971339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeMin/pseuds/RaeMin
Summary: Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Minhyuk are hybrid rescue workers. Over the course of a couple of years and through a varied series of events the three adopt four abused hybrids into their family.Lots of angst. Lots of fluff. Lots of cute cuddly time. Possibility of sexy time. We'll see where it takes us.





	1. Chapter 1 : Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello! This is an idea that has been floating around in my head for a while. This chapter is mainly an info dump on characters and universe background. Please refer to tags for possible triggers. Be safe!

Hoseok sighed, leaning back into his chair. His level of irritation had been rising exponentially for hours now.

He and Hyunwoo had been trying to crack this case for months. There were suffering hybrids practically right down the street; but his and Hyunwoo's hybrid rescue team was unable to act due to the illegal operation having bribed local law enforcement. 

Hoseok felt a hand settle gently on his shoulder. Despite it all, he smiled. "Hey babe. You okay?" he heard Hyunwoo ask.

"Yeah. Just frustrated. They're right  _there,_ Hyunwoo," Hoseok groaned, hands tugging on his hair.

"Hey, we've dealt with worse. It took us six months to get the hybrids out of the basement of that pizza joint, don't you remember? Getting Changkyun out as quickly and safely as we could was worth all the waiting, wasn't it?" 

Hoseok groaned again. Hyunwoo was right. He usually always was.

It had taken their team six months to obtain enough evidence to show that Pip's Pizzaria was housing a hybrid trafficking circle; snagging hybrids off the streets and taking advantage of the many that were homeless in the area. Once the team had finally been able to prove their case to the Board, the team had invaded the basement and saved seven hybrids from a life of hell. One of the hybrids, a young pup named Changkyun, had bonded very quickly with Hoseok after he had been assigned as Changkyun's caretaker. Members of the team would sometimes accompany rescued hybrids to the hospital to help keep them calm. They had all been through special training.

Changkyun had been terrified when the team had burst into the basement. Hoseok was the only one that could get close enough to him to unhook the chain that was connected to his metal collar. Ever since, he and Hoseok had been nearly inseparable. It was only natural that Hoseok and Hyunwoo adopted him soon after. 

Along with Changkyun, Hoseok and Hyunwoo had adopted three other hybrids; Minhyuk, Jooheon, and Hyungwon. Jooheon and Hyungwon had been a package deal; the former a dog hybrid, the latter a cat. Minhyuk was actually a member of the rescue team. The feisty cat hybrid had been busting stereotypes ever since he walked through the door of the rescue center and demanded a job. 

Minhyuk was an incredibly valued addition to the team. The other members had thought Hyunwoo was crazy when he had accepted the Board's request to take Minhyuk under his wing. It wasn't that the other members of the team thought that Minhyuk wasn't capable of being on the team; in fact, hybrids and humans were viewed as equals in society. The other members had been concerned about how  _dangerous_ it would be for Minhyuk.

Minhyuk was a cat hybrid. Everyone else on the rescue team was human. If something went wrong on an operation, Minhyuk could be taken into the trafficking rings and shipped off to another country in the blink of an eye. The team dealt with this fear day in and day out until Minhyuk joined them on their first operation. 

Long story short - he had kicked ass and held his own. Then he was able to flip a switch and talk a borderline feral hybrid down long enough to be checked out by their medics and taken to the rescue center. After that, the team was significantly less concerned, but still always kept an extra eye on him.

Hyunwoo had seen Minhyuk's potential since the beginning. He knew that the boy housed a fire inside of him; a deep passion. Hyunwoo knew that that passion would help people. So he had trained Minhyuk harsher than any of his other team members to be sure he was prepared for anything and everything. Minhyuk didn't complain once.

Hoseok had seen it too, but not as quickly as Hyunwoo had. After Hyunwoo had announced that Minhyuk would be joining their unit, Hoseok had cornered him after the meeting and, with an exasperated look, demanded to know why in hell Hyunwoo would put a hybrid in danger like that. Hyunwoo had simply smiled and told Hoseok, "Just wait and see."

Minhyuk was the first hybrid to be adopted by Hyunwoo and Hoseok.

Hoseok and Hyunwoo had been together for five years. The two were high school sweethearts. They had come together due to their passion for helping hybrids. They had met during the first start-of-year meeting for the Hybrid-Human Alliance club. A month later, Hyunwoo asked Hoseok on a date. They'd been together ever since.

Hoseok and Hyunwoo had joined the Hybrid Rescue Association as soon as they graduated. They were appointed to a unit, of which Hyunwoo would eventually be appointed Director, and Hoseok Co-Director. Together with their team, their unit had rescued 38 hybrids from trafficking rings all across the country. Hyunwoo and Hoseok were both incredibly passionate about their work.

The two had been working with the HRA for two years when they had found Hyungwon and Jooheon. It was considered one of the best, and one of the worst, days of their lives.

When they had busted the trafficking ring, they had found a whopping total of 11 hybrids in cages cramped together in an area roughy the size of a storage unit. The smell was appalling. The thugs in charge of the ring had known the HRA was onto them and had fled days prior; leaving the hybrids there to die.

Two of the hybrids had passed away before the team had gotten to the unit. Another passed in the hospital in the days following the rescue. All of them were extremely malnourished, dehydrated, beaten, and above all else - terrified.

Jooheon and Hyungwon had been the most difficult to get out of the storage unit. Hoseok and Hyunwoo had told the rest of the team to go with the rescued hybrids to the hospital, leaving only Hyungwon, Jooheon, and themselves in the storage unit. The doors had been open for an hour or so now, but the fresh air had done nothing to calm the terror blatantly obvious in the tall, lanky, dark-haired cat hybrid. 

At first, the two had thought that only one hybrid was in the last cage. But upon closer examination, a smaller figure could be seen curled into the corner - the tall, skinny one was curled over him protectively, eyes wild and sharp hisses escaping his throat whenever anyone got close. 

The two rescue team members were extremely concerned for the hybrid that was curled into the corner. He appeared to be unconscious. The two hoped desperately that the boy was just unconscious. 

"Hey, hey, its okay, sweetheart." Hoseok tried to soothe, reaching out once again for the latch on the cage. The hybrid hissed again, claws extracted and hands lashing out to swipe Hoseok's hand away.

"Your friend needs help. Can you tell me if he's breathing?" Hyunwoo prompted - hoping that drawing the scared hybrids attention to the friend he was protecting would give him the push to come out of the cage and let the medics help.

The hybrid shot around in the small space of the cage, appearing to just now notice the state of his friend. All hostility drained out of him, whimpers escaping his throat as he shook the unconscious hybrid, tears beginning to slide down his cheeks.

"We have doctors that can help him. Please let us help him," Hoseok pleaded, reaching once again for the lock on the cage.

The lanky boy watched Hoseok's hands warily, seemingly ready to pounce at any moment. The door slid open, and Hoseok stood back to allow the hybrid room to come out. The boy looked behind him at his friend once more, then exited the cage slowly. He slid off to the side, watching Hoseok carefully as he spoke aloud everything that he was doing; a trick they had learned in training.

"Okay, I'm going to climb in and get your friend out, okay?" Hoseok said as he began moving into the cage. Hyunwoo's eyes stayed locked on the hybrid - ready to intervene if he lashed out.

"I'm going to slide him out now," Hoseok continued, slowly easing the unconscious hybrid out of the cage. His ears were buried beneath a tuft of unruly hair, and he was much, much too light.

The medics were still waiting at the door of the unit, per Hyunwoo's instruction. 

"We're going to have the medics come in now," Hyunwoo said, still closely monitoring the lanky hybrids reaction.

The medics approached, crouching down next to the unconscious boy. "He isn't breathing," one of them said, effectively sending the lanky one into hysterics. He launched forward, leaning over the boy and shaking him again. Hoseok wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him away so that the medics could continue. The hybrid thrashed around in Hoseok's hold, sobs echoing horribly in the confined space of the unit. He reached forward again, gripping onto the unconscious hybrids hand desperately. 

"We've got him breathing. We need to get an IV hooked up, he's incredibly dehydrated. Hyunwoo?" the medic questioned, looking at Hyunwoo for permission to move the hybrid out of the unit and into the ambulance. 

Hyunwoo nodded, standing to help get the hybrid onto the stretcher. The medics rolled him out, and Hyunwoo turned to Hoseok and the other hybrid, who were both still on the floor. 

The hybrid had begun to mumble something, and the look that Hoseok shot up to Hyunwoo was enough to tell him that these two hybrids were going to be in their lives for a lot longer than the time it had taken to rescue them.

At the hospital, the tall hybrid, which Hoseok had learned was called Hyungwon, had not left the younger hybrid, who was called Jooheon, alone for a single second. When the boy had finally woken up, eyes darting around in terror at his unfamiliar surroundings, Hyungwon had been quick to climb into the hospital bed with him and had held him close until he calmed down. Hyungwon had held Jooheon's hand tightly while the nurse examined him, and demanded to know what she was doing every time she touched Jooheon. 

Hoseok, as per protocol, had been present during the examination and questioning of the nurses. When the nurse got to the questions, Hoseok braced himself. This was always the hardest part.

"Do you two have any other injuries I should know about?" the nurse asked gently. Hyungwon shook his head, but Jooehon looked up to Hyungwon, unsure. Hyungwon nodded, and Jooheon raised his shirt to reveal a series of lashes across his back. Hoseok flinched. He knew exactly what had caused that.

Hyungwon flinched too. The nurse reached up to begin cleaning the wounds, still verbally explaining each step to Hyungwon to keep him calm. 

Once she had finished, she jotted a few things down on Jooheon's chart, and continued with the questions.

"How long ago were you two captured?" she asked.

"What month is it?" Hyungwon asked quietly. Upon the nurses' answer, he replied, "Six months." 

"Seven months." Jooheon whispered. It was the first time he had spoken.

 _Jesus._ Hoseok flinched again.

"Is there a family we can contact for either of you?" 

Both of them shook their heads. Hyungwon explained that he was homeless before his kidnapping. Jooheon nodded in agreement. The nurse explained that they would go to the rescue center until their adoption. 

"During your capture, I know this is a hard question, but I have to ask. Was there any sexual assault?" 

Jooheon flinched violently, shaking his head and moving closer to Hyungwon. Hyungwon hissed at the nurse. She stepped back.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Hoseok stepped in to reassure. "She has to ask, it's okay. If you were hurt in that way, she needs to make sure you're both okay, and run some tests. It's to make sure you're safe, and healthy. It's okay," Hoseok continued to soothe.

Hyungwon relaxed slightly, but still held Jooheon close protectively. "What kind of tests," he asked.

"I would just need to run a few extra blood tests. It wont hurt, sweetheart." The nurse explained.

Hyungwon continued to be silent, until eventually murmuring a quiet, "Yes."

The nurse nodded, her eyes flickering to Jooheon, who was still hiding against Hyungwon. Hyungwon nodded on Jooheon's behalf. 

After Jooheon had recovered enough to leave the hospital, the two had been moved to the rescue center. Hoseok had been their caretaker; making sure the two grew accustomed to living in a non-hostile environment. Jooheon continued to be incredibly reserved, flinching away from everyone who wasn't Hyungwon. 

Hoseok and Hyunwoo quickly realized that the rescue center environment was not going to work for the two hybrids. So they had taken them into their home upon approval of the board to be loosely termed, "foster parents" to the two hybrids until they were ready to return to the center for adoption.

Needless to say, the two had never gone back to the center. It took a while, but Jooheon eventually came out of his shell and leaned to trust people again. The two hybrids, although Hyungwon was the least likely to say it, had grown close to the two rescue team workers, along with Minhyuk.

When Hyunwoo and Hoseok had asked if they could adopt Hyungwon and Jooheon, Jooheon had cried, flinging himself at the two men and nodding his head excessively against Hyunwoo's chest. Hyungwon had been less outspoken, but it was obvious that he was touched and wanted to join the family just as much as Jooheon.

Changkyun had come along about a year later. After his rescue (and his quick adoption thereafter, as Changkyun had Hoseok wrapped around his finger), Changkyun had become close with all of them, and was just as excited to join the family.

Their family had been stable ever since. They were small compared to some other families, but Hoseok and Hyunwoo were content with what they had. The two were happy to come home with Minhyuk every night to be tackled by an excited Changkyun and Jooheon, and (possibly; depending on his mood) nuzzled by Hyungwon.

That was until Hoseok and Hyunwoo had begun to take on their latest case. It had been ongoing for nearly a year and a half - it had went through six of the top units before being handed down to Hyunwoo. No one else had been able to find a way to take this particular ring down.

This ring was smart. Unbelievably so. They knew what they were doing, and were in absolutely no way amateurs. The covered their tracks flawlessly. Had connections high up in law enforcement that allowed them to be able to get away with anything. A hybrid body turned up? It went unreported, no one ever heard about it. A hybrid went missing? No missing person report. 

If Hyunwoo was to be honest; this particular ring terrified him. It was estimated that the ring had successfully smuggled hundreds of kidnapped hybrids out of the country and into the hands of buyers overseas during the past five years alone. 

It made Hyunwoo sick that hybrids were still viewed as objects to people. Just another way to make money. "Toys," as one of the ring bosses had described them. Despite all of the leaps society had made in terms of equal rights for hybrids, the old views that hybrids were property still held true in some families, leading to the development of trafficking rings to supply hybrids to top-paying buyers who wanted a new plaything. 

But fortunately, most of these rings were extremely disorganized and run by people who didn't know the first thing about crime. This made the majority of them easy to take down, and thousands of hybrids had been rescued by the combined units of the HRA. 

But this particular one? It seemed impossible. But Hyunwoo hadn't become Director of his unit by giving up when things got hard.

He, and the rest of his team, were absolutely determined to do whatever it took to take the ring down.

Lives depended on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you would like me to continue with this story! I want to be sure that it is actually something that people want to read :). Also, I've written two other fics (one Minhyuk centric ABO, and a series of Monsta X little space drabbles) if anyone is interested!


	2. Chapter 2 : Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T/W for this chapter - graphic descriptions of abuse and human trafficking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun is introduced in this chapter, as well as an unexpected appearance from two members of Astro? Idk how it happened but it did lol. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for the nice comments - they really inspired me to hurry up and get this chapter out. You are all so kind ~ :)

Hoseok shivered against the cold rain as he walked home alone.

Today had been hard. Hoseok's unit of the HRA had been working nonstop to take down one of the most dangerous hybrid trafficking rings known to date, but it still seemed as if they were getting nowhere. It was becoming more and more difficult to motivate himself to go to work in the morning, when he knew that he would just be walking home in defeat hours later.

Hyunwoo had noticed the shift in Hoseok. Hyunwoo knew how passionate Hoseok was about helping others, and when he felt that he couldn't help, it had the tendency to send him into a spiral of depression. 

Hyunwoo did what he could to keep his boyfriend happy. Minhyuk would bring his favorite coffee to his desk and give him a quick nuzzle between hours of Hoseok burying himself in research. Changkyun would pounce on Hosoek the moment he walked through the door and insist on dragging him to the couch for a nap and cuddles. Jooheon would make dinner so that Hoseok wouldn't have to, and Hyungwon would watch over them all and step in when needed.

The hybrids were all exrememly sensitive to mood-shifts, especially when it came to humans or other hybrids they cared about or lived in close proximity with. So to physically feel the pain Hoseok was going through was taking quite the toll on them all.

Hyunwoo decided something needed to be done, so he began his planning.

Hyunwoo planned the most amazing dates. Hoseok would never forget the first one Hyunwoo had taken him on - the older had spent weeks meticulously planning every detail, and even though it hadn't exactly gone as planned (the joys of young kids relying on public transportation) it had only made Hoseok love the older more.

Hyunwoo had mastered the art of planning dates for him and Hoseok, but planning one for Hoseok, Minhyuk, Changkyun, Hyungwon, and Jooheon combined? Hyunwoo was totally up for the much needed distraction.

Hyunwoo had dragged his little family out of the house early on a Saturday morning, much to literally everyone's (except Changkyun, who had the energy of a puppy and never slept more than six hours straight anyways) dismay. Hyungwon especially was not someone who appreciated being roused earlier than the hours of the day ending in "PM". 

Hyunwoo explained that they were going on an early morning walk to the pond and park near their house in one of the nicer subdivisions in town and Changkyun was vibrating in excitement by the front door because walks were his favorite things on the planet. Hyungwon was stumbling blindly in the direction of the door; hair tousled, still half in his pajamas, and eyes half lidded, hissing at anyone who so much as looked at him. 

Hoseok and Jooheon were stood by the door with Minhyuk. Hoseok had slapped a smile on his face and was running a hand up and down Minhyuk's back, but it wasn't fooling anyone. Everyone in the room knew that Hoseok was still struggling.

So Hyunwoo ushered them all out the door and in the direction of the park. When they passed their usual turn, Minhyuk fell to the back of the group to walk next to Hyunwoo. 

"Hyung, weren't we supposed to turn there?" he asked. And of course Minhyuk was the only one that had noticed, as Hoseok was preoccupied with keeping Changkyun away from the road, Hyungwon was still half asleep and about as directionally useful as a dead man walking, and Jooheon was simply trailing behind the leading group sniffing the air in contentment. 

Hyunwoo simply hummed in recognition, offering no further explanation. Minhyuk smirked, "What on Earth are you planning?" 

Hyunwoo smirked back.

\---

When the group had finally returned home from their date day, they were all exhausted. Hyunwoo had treated them all to a long walk, a movie, and a nice dinner at one of their favorite restaurants. 

Upon everyone climbing into bed together, Hoseok turned to Hyunwoo. "Thank you for today, babe."

Hyunwoo pulled him closer and kissed the top of his head. 

\---

A week later, they finally hit a break in their case. 

It happened during a meeting. Hyunwoo got a phone call, and upon noting the caller ID, his eyes widened and he immediately stepped out of the room. Hoseok begrudgingly continued leading the meeting, irritated that he couldn't know what was going on quite yet. 

His irritation was short-lived, however, as only moments later Hyunwoo burst into the room. "Meeting is over. We're heading out in ten." His eyes met Hoseok and he smiled widely, "We did it."

\---

In the van on the way to the warehouse currently housing the trafficking ring they'd been trying to take down for months, Hoseok reached over to grab Hyunwoo's hand. His eyes never left the road in front of him. From his other side, Minhyuk's tail wrapped around Hoseok's waist comfortingly. 

They had to be armed when entering the warehouse. This always made Hyunwoo extra anxious, but he was trained in not showing it in order to effectively lead his team. But when two people he loved with all his heart were on his team, both of them adorning a variety of lethal weapons, it was hard.

"Remember to only shoot if necessary. We take as many alive as possible." Hyunwoo reminded for the umpteenth time. In all of Hyunwoo's years at the HRA, he had only fired his weapon once. He hoped to still be able to say that in the morning.

The team burst into the warehouse, quickly surrounding the area. The men inside put up quite the fight, but upon realizing how many armed HRA agents had surrounded them, quickly surrendered. They were caught off guard, and many of them didn't have their weapons on them. 

Many arrests were made, much more than Hyunwoo had ever seen at the takedown of one single ring. When they had finally gotten everyone out, the team called in the medics and focused their attention on tracking down the hybrids. 

In all of their time working together at the HRA, Hyunwoo had never seen Hoseok cry at a scene. He usually saved it for later, when he was cuddled with his boyfriends in the safety of his home, when none of their team members were around and he didn't have to act professionally. 

But that all changed when they entered the section of the warehouse used to house the hybrids. 

There were probably 25 hybrids crammed into the small room. They were all chained to one of the far walls, smooshed together with less than an inch of space between them. They were all wearing thick metal collars attached to heavy chains that were all clasped to a metal rod lining the wall. 

The second the HRA team entered the room, each hybrid scrambled to get into the same position; on their knees, hands clasped behind their backs, heads bowed.

Hyunwoo felt like he was going to be sick.

Hoseok walked right back out of the room.

Minhyuk was frozen in his spot, completely speechless. 

They had heard things about this ring, but had never expected  _this._

Most hybrid trafficking rings specialized in illegal adoptions to humans who couldn't afford the standard adoption fee. Some of these illegal adoptions would result in abuse or neglect of the hybrid as there were no background checks or interviews of the individuals who wanted to adopt, but for the most part, most trafficking rings ended up in hybrids being adopted without documentation. 

But this ring? Hyunwoo had only heard of what they had been doing here.

They were training these hybrids to be toys. Sex toys. Used and then tossed aside or taken back to the ring to get recycled into the hands of another monster. 

Hyunwoo had never seen one to this extent. These hybrids were numb, emotionless. Eyes completely blank and devoid of any light.

Hyunwoo's eyes roamed over them all, settling on one at the end who appeared barely able to stand up. He was the only one who was shaking, and looked like his knees were about to buckle. The hybrid next to him placed a hand on his back in an attempt to steady him, eyes flicking up nervously to gauge whether or not his action was noticed. 

Hyunwoo could feel the eyes of his team on him. Hoseok was still nowhere be seen, and Hyunwoo felt Minhyuk move to stand beside him. Just the presence of the younger was enough to push Hyunwoo to action.

Hyunwoo cleared his throat. "It's okay, kids. We're from the Hybrid Rescue Association. You're safe, now." 

But none of them moved, and Hyunwoo had no idea what to do. No training exercise could ever prepare someone for something like this.

Hyunwoo slowly moved towards a hybrid at the far end of the room, at the end of the line. He crouched down. "I'm going to take your collar off, okay?" 

Out of surprise, the hybrids eyes shot up to look at Hyunwoo. Upon taking in his gentle gaze and posture, he seemed to relax slightly but still flinched away, quickly saying, "Sorry, Sir."

Hyunwoo knew what he was apologizing for. Eye contact. 

"It's perfectly okay, honey. Those guys are all gone. You're all safe now. We're going to have some medics come in to check if anyone is hurt. Now I'm going to take your collar off." Hyunwoo reached up slowly behind the hybrids head to unclasp the collar. Hyunwoo, however, struggled to find the clasp.

"I-it's locked, Sir." the hybrid whispered.

Hyunwoo sucked in a breath. Of course it was. Sick bastards.

"Okay. Does anyone know where the keys are?" Hyunwoo asked. He heard his team begin to search the room behind him. 

"In the drawer along the wall, second from the left." one of the hybrids piped up, head still down.

"Thank you." Hyunwoo said, motioning to his team to get the keys. The agent handed them to Hyunwoo, who reached back up to unlock the collar. The hybrids hands shot up to rub the skin around his neck.

Slowly, one by one, the hybrids were released from their collars and led outside by medics. They were all scared and skittish; most had their ears flattened and tails between their legs. Hyunwoo observed that most of them were cat hybrids, with a few of the "cuter" types of dogs, wolves, and even a few reptilian hybrids thrown in. This made sense, as most commonly sexualized hybrids were feline, but some customers wanted other breeds or species, Hyunwoo assumed. The thought made him sick to his stomach.

Hyunwoo finally reached the end of the line of hybrids. He noticed one chain towards the end was hanging loosely, no collar attached. The last two hybrids were right after the empty chain. These two were the ones that Hyunwoo had observed earlier, and had left them to be the last released for a reason. 

The one at the very end was a very small, seemingly very young hybrid. The one next to him was slightly older, and still had a hand placed on the younger's back to steady him. 

The younger appeared to be extremely injured. He was swaying back and forth, and having a difficult time staying conscious. Hyunwoo knelt down in front of the two. 

"Hey, kiddos." Hyunwoo smiled softly. The older one met his eyes, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

The older hybrid watched closely as Hyunwoo unlocked each of their collars. Before signaling for the medics to approach, Hyunwoo asked, "where are you hurt?" to the younger hybrid. 

The small boy flinched, leaning more heavily into the olders' side. "H-he, um. He was disciplined." the older answered. Hyunwoo sucked in a breath. 

"Do you think you can help him stand?" Hyunwoo asked.

"Yeah, just - his back." the older hybrid explained, pleading with his eyes for Hyunwoo to understand. 

Hyunwoo did. 

"Okay. I'm going to have some medics come in, to patch him up here so that he doesn't get hurt anymore on the way to the hospital." 

The younger let out a small sob. "Home?" he whispered brokenly to the older.

Hyunwoo looked to the older in confusion. "He wasn't homeless when he was abducted. He has a family waiting for him."

Hyunwoo's heart clenched. "Do you know his first and last name?" he asked the older, before directing his attention back to the younger, "We're gonna help you get back to your family, kiddo."

"His name is Moonbin, but I don't know his last name." Hyunwoo was going to ask the younger, but he was swaying dangerously, and had begun to sob at the prospect of finally being able to go home. Hyunwoo decided questioning could wait, and medical attention was more necessary.

Hyunwoo watched over the two as they were tended to by the medics. When the older hybrid was finished being patched up, Hyunwoo turned to speak to him again. "Can you tell me your name?" 

"Eunwoo."

Hyunwoo smiled encouragingly. 

"How long ago were you taken?" 

"Um... is it still 2016?" he asked.

Hyunwoo steeled himself. "No, hun. It's 2018."

"Shit." Eunwoo mumbled in shock.

"Do you have someone waiting for you?"

"No. I was homeless before. Most everyone in here was homeless or in a bad home. Except Binnie." 

Beside him, Moonbin startled suddenly. "Eunwoo." he said in a panic. Eunwoo quickly cut off his and Hyunwoo's conversation to turn to Moonbin. "Kihyun."

"Oh,  _shit._ " Eunwoo uttered, moving to stand.

Hyunwoo stood with him, helping to steady him. Hyunwoo was confused. Did this Kihyun have anything to do with the empty collar chain he had noticed earlier?

Hyunwoo followed Eunwoo to a door on the side of the room that appeared to be hidden. Eunwoo attempted to slide the bookcase to reveal the door, but nearly toppled over. A blush painted his cheeks as Hyunwoo stepped in to the move the bookcase. 

A hand on his arm paused Hyunwoo's action of reaching towards the door to open it. Hyunwoo turned to Eunwoo, eyebrows raised.

"He- he, um. Sir, the main one, I guess the one in charge, has a favorite hybrid." Eunwoo motioned towards the door. "Kihyun. He's kept in there most of the time and when he's out here, he just looks so... broken." 

"Okay," Hyunwoo said. He motioned for his team members behind him to stand back and wait outside. He didn't want to overwhelm the hybrid behind the door by sending in too many unfamiliar faces at once, especially since Hyunwoo had no idea what mental state this Kihyun was in.

"Does he know you?" Hyunwoo asked. If Kihyun knew Eunwoo, having Eunwoo enter the room with him would hopefully help to keep the hybrid calm.

"Uh, sorta? He knows Binnie more, but..." Eunwoo trailed off, eyes turning to where Moonbin was being taken out of the warehouse by medics. "Kihyun used to protect him before I got here."

Hyunwoo's hand reached out for the knob on the door once again. He felt a hand on his lower back; Hoseok. The two locked eyes before entering the room, Eunwoo following close behind.

At first, the room seemed to be empty. It was pretty bland; appeared to be half office, half sleeping space. One side of the room housed a desk and table lamp, while the other had a bed with white sheets that was meticulously made. If it wasn't for the small  _thump_ that sounded from the corner of the room, where a small table topped by various empty alcohol containers was covered by what appeared to be a large tablecloth, Hyunwoo would have thought that the room was completely empty.

Eunwoo entered the room slowly, stepping towards the table. "Kihyun?" 

Silence.

"It's Eunwoo. Binnie's friend?" 

Silence.

"They're gone, Ki. The," Eunwoo racked his mind for what the agents had called themselves when they had first came in, "police, are here. We're safe."

There was still no sound. Hyunwoo approached the table, having a vague sense of where the hybrid was. He removed the empty beer cans and lifted the tablecloth, and unfortunately found himself to be correct.

Under the tablecloth was a cage. And in that cage was a hybrid. Hyunwoo realized immediately why the hybrid hadn't answered Eunwoo.

On top of being crammed in a small cage and left in total darkness, the hybrid was also bound; metal collar and chain linked to cuffs around his hands and ankles. The hybrid was curled on his side, tail curled protectively around his waist, ears covered with noise cancelling headphones and a blindfold tied around his eyes. There was cotton in his nose and a gag in his mouth. 

Eunwoo let out a pained sound from beside Hyunwoo, fist flying up to cover his mouth and eyes blinking away tears. "Sensory deprivation." he uttered.

Hyunwoo and Hoseok stepped to opposite sides of the cage. Their eyes met once again. Hyunwoo moved to open the cage; it opened from the top, similar to a chest. Once it was open, he paused. 

Hyunwoo wasn't sure what to do. He was positive that the hybrid had absolutely no idea that people were in the room with him. He couldn't see, hear, or smell. He had been rendered completely helpless.

The last thing anyone in the room wanted to do was scare this poor hybrid. But Hyunwoo figured that the sooner they could get the boy out to receive medical treatment and a good meal, the better.

Hyunwoo slowly reached his hand down towards the headphones on the hybrids head. The second his hand moved the headphones, the hybrid jerked, then immediately went still. Hyunwoo could both see and hear his rapid breath coming out in short pants from behind the gag in his mouth. 

Once the headphones were removed, Eunwoo piped up once again. "Ki?" he asked. Kihyun's breathing stilled, previously flattened ears directing towards Eunwoo's voice. "It's Eunwoo. The police are here, we're safe now. There are two people in here with me, and they're both good. They're gonna get you out of here." 

Hyunwoo was shocked at Eunwoo's ease in calming other hybrids. For someone to have been abused for two solid years but still be able to put their own emotions, fear, and pain aside to help others? It was truly amazing. Hyunwoo would have to see about getting Eunwoo hired at the HRA. 

Kihyun was still tense as Hyunwoo reached to take off his blindfold. Moments later, big, scared brown eyes blinked up at Hyunwoo, eyes attempting to adjust to the light. Eunwoo quickly stepped into Kihyun's line of vision as well. 

Hyunwoo took off the gag, tossing both it and the blindfold aside. Both were soiled and dirty, pretty much matching up perfectly with the hybrid in the cage who looked like he hadn't showered in months or ben fed in weeks. Hyunwoo removed the cuffs around his ankles and wrists, moving slowly and explaining each action verbally. Hoseok watched the hybrids eyes follow Hyunwoo's hands as he worked on freeing him.

The hybrid only moved when Hyunwoo reached for his collar. He hissed defensively, back slamming against the opposite side of the cage. Hyunwoo immediately backed off, knowing that touching the neck of a hybrid made the hybrid feel vulnerable; hence why so many trafficking rings used collars and leashes as a way to dehumanize and control them. Very few hybrids ever want to voluntarily wear a collar. 

"Hey, hey, Ki, it's okay." Eunwoo attempted to reassure. Kihyun's teeth were bared, various hisses and growls being emitted from his throat, claws out. His eyes were slants as he glared up at Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo, however, saw right through it. Kihyun was not violent or feral. He was just  _scared._

"Is it okay if I take it off?" Eunwoo asked Kihyun, who relaxed but still remained defensive when he turned his attention to Eunwoo.

Kihyun nodded, and Eunwoo slowly reached forward and removed the collar. Now all that was left in the cage was a terrified hybrid.

Coaxing Kihyun out of the cage and out of the room completely took nearly an hour. Kihyun was still terrified - anytime he so much as heard a voice or someone moved too fast, he would dart back into his cage.

Hyunwoo had never seen a case of abuse this bad.

Hyunwoo, Hoseok, and Eunwoo never lost patience. When they finally got Kihyun out of the warehouse completely, his eyes had gone wide and Hyunwoo watched as his nose went crazy, eyes darting around to take everything in. Hyunwoo wondered how long it had been since the hybrid had been outside.

Hyunwoo beckoned for Minhyuk to approach. He had been waiting (somewhat) patiently outside of the warehouse for Hoseok and Hyunwoo to come out with the last two hybrids. The rest of the hybrids had been either taken to the hospital or to the Rescue Center.

Minhyuk had insisted that the rest of the medics ride to the hospital with the more severely injured or malnourished hybrids while he stayed with one of their first-aid kits. Minhyuk, along with all of the other agents, was trained in first-aid. 

Minhyuk watched with wide eyes as the last two hybrids left the warehouse. One was a tall dog hybrid who looked to be holding up extremely well, given the circumstances. The other was a completely different story. 

He was a small, extremely thin cat hybrid who looked as though he was ready to bolt at any second. Minhyuk could see how much he was shaking, even from his spot several feet away. He looked absolutely terrified, and Minhyuk could already begin to see the bruises littering the hybrids small frame.

Upon seeing Hyunwoo beckon him closer, Minhyuk picked up his kit and walked slowly towards the group. It took a while, but Minhyuk was able to provide basic care without traumatizing the hybrid as much as a hospital setting would have. 

While he was applying the last of the bandages, Minhyuk watched out of the corner of his eye as Eunwoo began to fidget, biting his lip anxiously. He turned to Hyunwoo and Hoseok, "Where's Moonbin?" 

"He's at the Rescue Center. Our medics got him all patched up, now he's waiting for you there." Minhyuk smiled reassuringly. 

Eunwoo relaxed, but Minhyuk could see that he was still worried. Minhyuk watched as Kihyun's eyes widened, eyes flicking up to Eunwoo. "Binnie?" he asked softly. It was the first any of them had heard him speak.

"Yeah," Eunwoo's eyes got watery, "Yeah, he's okay." 

Kihyun let out a shaky breath.

Over the course of the next hour, Hyunwoo, Hoseok, and Minhyuk were able to get Eunwoo and Kihyun into the last remaining van at the scene. They headed for the Rescue Center, and upon arriving, Hoseok thoroughly explained where they were and that they were free to come and go from the building as they pleased. Eunwoo's leg was bouncing up and down nervously, and it was clear to anyone that he was anxious to get back to Moonbin. Kihyun was curled up on one of the seats, trying to keep as still as possible.

They arrived at the center, and were immediately greeted by Moonbin, who had been waiting outside of the center for hours. His arms wrapped tightly around Eunwoo when he finally stepped out of the van, whispering a mantra of, "We're safe, we're actually safe, it's real," in between tears.

Kihyun's head shot up, ears pointed towards where he could hear Moonbin's voice. He climbed out of the van, and upon seeing Moonbin and taking in his surroundings, appeared to relax slightly. 

"Ki?" Moonbin asked hesitantly, approaching Kihyun slowly. Kihyun sent him a small smile, making no move to accept the hug offered by the younger.

The group entered the center, and Moonbin held Eunwoo's hand and tugged on it slightly while he quietly explained what each room they passed by was. Hoseok and Hyunwoo dropped Moonbin and Eunwoo off at their assigned room, and they had both thanked Hyunwoo and Hoseok with watery eyes. 

Hyunwoo had had an inkling ever since he laid eyes on Kihyun that the Rescue Center would not be therapeutic and healing for Kihyun. He was far too nervous, eyes flicking around at the faintest sign of movement, shrinking away from anyone who tried to talk to him, hissing at doctors who got too close. Minhyuk, Hyunwoo, and Hoseok got Kihyun safely to the nurses station to be further checked out, and when they locked eyes with each other, they all knew. It was going to be traumatizing for Kihyun to stay at the center. He was far too scared. Kihyun appeared to be slightly more relaxed (albeit still terrified) with the three of them, so one shared glance was all it took for them to come to an agreement. 

Kihyun would be coming home with them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :) I plan on having the next chapter out sometime later this week or early next. Also, let me know if you would like to see a spinoff of this focusing on Astro. Adding them in was totally unexpected but I kinda fell in love with it?


	3. Chapter 3: Adjusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun goes home with Minhyuk, Hyunwoo, and Hoseok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry I've been gone so long! Please enjoy~

The day that Kihyun had been brought into the house had been, in the over-exaggerated words of Changkyun, "a complete, and utter disaster."

All things considered, Hoseok and Hyunwoo knew that bringing Kihyun home wasn't exactly going to be a walk in the park, but they never expected what had actually happened.

Back at the center when Kihyun was being examined by the nurse, Hyunwoo had carefully breached the subject of Kihyun staying at the center. 

Kihyun's eyes had widened as he let out a sharp gasp, flinching away from the two humans. His eyes screamed betrayal, and his body language told the two agents all they needed to know.

"Woah, woah, I wasn't finished," Hyunwoo continued, sending an encouraging smile. "Even though for most hybrids it is beneficial to stay here to heal, for others, healing is easier in a home setting."

Kihyun's face was blank as he stared down at his hands. He still hadn't made eye contact with anyone except Moonbin and Eunwoo.

"Would you rather come home with us?" Hoseok interrupted.

"Cage." Kihyun whispered, so quickly and quietly that the two almost missed it.

"What?" Hyunwoo asked.

"Cage." Kihyun repeated, somewhat louder this time.

Hoseok and Hyunwoo shared a look. Kihyun didn't want to stay at the shelter or come home with them - he wanted to go back to his cage.

"Oh, hun, no," Hoseok started, "Where you were wasn't safe. You were not being treated well, or taken care of. We-"

Something in Hoseok's words must have jump-started a train of thought in Kihyun's mind, because he was suddenly springing up despite his numerous injuries, terror engulfing him as he tried to dart out of the room. He didn't make it very far, as his injuries caused him to collapse onto the floor after a few steps.

Kihyun's lip wobbled as his whole body shook, trying to stand again.

"Where are you trying to go?" Hyunwoo asked gently.

"Mad." Kihyun mumbled, "Mad! He-" Kihyun appeared to desperately be struggling for words. Hyunwoo wondered how long it had been since the kid was allowed to speak.

"Cage." He finished finally.

Hyunwoo was confused, but Hoseok appeared to understand. 

"He's gone, Kihyun. He's not going to hurt you anymore, or ever again. You don't need to go back to your cage."

Kihyun visibly deflated. "Gone?" 

"Gone." Hoseok confirmed.

\---

The two agents had been at the hospital with Kihyun for hours, and Minhyuk was starting to get worried.

Minhyuk had offered to go home after they had met up at the hospital. He knew Hyunwoo was worried about the other hybrids being left at home for so long without an explanation. The grateful look Hyunwoo had given him had been enough to stifle his curiosity about the hybrid that would soon become the next addition to their family.

The second Minhyuk unlocked the door, he was nearly pushed right back out of it by the force of a puppy hybrid crashing into him.

"Hyung!" Changkyun nearly shouted, "Hyung, hyung hyung." Changkyun continued to repeat as he rubbed his scent all over Minhyuk, who just stood still and let him do his thing.

When Changkyun finally allowed Minhyuk entry, he came face-to-face with a nervous looking Jooheon and an irritatingly emotionless stare from Hyungwon.

"Is everything okay?" Jooheon asked, and Minhyuk rushed forward to engulf the younger in a hug. A pang of guilt hit his heart for not thinking to phone Jooheon to let him know they would be home late - Jooheon constantly worries about them when they're at work.

Minhyuk didn't miss the hard stare Hyungwon directed at him when he pulled away.

"Everyone is okay. We finally took down that ring." Minhyuk began. "We got everyone out safely," (a white lie, but why burden the kids with gruesome details?) "but there's this hybrid." 

"Is he gonna come stay with us?!" Changkyun asked excitedly. 

"I think so, yes. Hyunwoo and Hoseok are at the hospital with him. But listen, he's-" Minhyuk struggled to find his words. Explaining the situation to three previously abused hybrids was much different than explaining it to one of his co-workers. "He was not treated well," Minhyuk chose to ignore the snarky 'when _are_ we?' mumbled by Hyungwon, "It's extreme, guys. So if he does end up coming home, we all have to give him space." 

Minhyuk eyed Changkyun as he said the last bit. He knew Hyungwon and Jooheon would have no trouble staying away from the new-comer until he was comfortable with them, but Changkyun was still a young puppy that had the tendency to tackle strangers in public out of excitement, much to Hyunwoo's dismay. 

Minhyuk helped Jooheon prepare dinner as they all waited for Hyunwoo and Hoseok to come home. Minhyuk kept anxiously eyeing the clock, attempting to be discreet about his worry. Jooheon noticed, his hand reaching out for Minhyuk's to give it a reassuring squeeze.

"They'll be home soon." Jooheon reassured. 

\---

Minhyuk stood in the entry way as he heard Hyunwoo and Hoseok's car pull into the drive. He listened to hear  _one...two...three_ car doors closing. 

Changkyun must have heard it too because he could hear Jooheon and Hyungwon attempting to calm him down in the living room where the others were waiting.

The door slowly opened, and Minhyuk watched with fond eyes as he saw Hoseok leading Kihyun into the apartment. Hyunwoo was narrating everything, explaining to Kihyun that any area was open for him to go into, and that there were no rules or forced behaviors. 

Kihyun stilled behind Hoseok, and Hyunwoo watched as his nose twitched, eyes darting around frantically to examine the new environment. 

Kihyun froze once again as his eyes met Minhyuk's, who was standing a few feet down the hall. His eyes immediately shot down, tail curling around his body and ears lying flat. 

"Hey, its okay - thats Minhyuk. You met him earlier, remember?" Hoseok encouraged. "The others are in the living room. Would you like to meet them?" 

Kihyun gave a small nod. Hoseok knew he needed to be careful, as Kihyun would go along with pretty much anything that he asked of him. That's all they were trained to do in hybrid rings - obey, submit, respect.

Minhyuk led the group into the living room where the rest of their family was. Jooheon and Changkyun were sat together on the couch, the former holding the back of the latter's shirt to keep him contained. Upon seeing Hoseok and Hyunwoo enter the room, Changkyun's tail went wild; thwacking against the back of the couch. 

Upon Kihyun slowly entering the room behind Hoseok, Changkyun was nearly blue in the face from containing himself because _holy shit that kitty is so cute and must be licked and cuddled **immediately** -_

"Changkyun," Hyunwoo said from the doorway, eyeing him warningly. 

Changkyun checked himself, exhaling the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He can totally keep his cool. He can do this.

Kihyun sniffed the air, eyeing each hybrid briefly until his eyes shot back down to his feet, shifting awkwardly. 

"The hyper pup is Changkyun, the one in the middle is Jooheon, and the one on top of the couch," Hyunwoo sighed, Hyungwon  _knew_ he wasn't supposed to climb the backs of the furniture - "is Hyungwon." 

Shortly after, Hoseok showed Kihyun to his room (the guest room they keep in the apartment, as the rest of them all sleep in the same room anyways) and Kihyun seemed astonished by the fact that he had an actual  _bed._

Hoseok left Kihyun to get used to his new arrangement, letting him know that he was free to come and go from his room as he pleased, and that there was food in the kitchen if he was hungry. If the look on Kihyun's face when Hoseok said  _food_ was anything to go by, the kid was definitely hungry. 

Hoseok left, ambling into the kitchen to scrape together something for Kihyun when he saw that Minhyuk was already in there, plate of warm food in his hands. Hoseok saw the cat hybrid and smiled, all tension leaving his body. How had he not realized how tired he was?

Minhyuk appeared as if he had been expecting this all along, walking up to Hoseok and murmuring, "I've got this, Hyung. You go get some rest." before pecking him on the cheek and heading off towards the guest bedroom.

When Minhyuk reached the open doorway, he still knocked anyways. He knew the other hybrid would have heard him coming a mile away, but knocking is still a common curtesy.

Kihyun looked up, eyes settling immediately on the plate of food. Minhyuk watched fondly as his nose went crazy.

"I brought you some dinner." Minhyuk said softly, slowly entering the room. Kihyun didn't acknowledge him, eyes trained solely on the food. Minhyuk reached the desk beside the bed Kihyun was settled on, and placed the plate down. 

"Make sure you eat slowly, okay? No one is going to take it from you, and there's even more food in the kitchen if you're still hungry." 

Kihyun nodded. Minhyuk retreated out of the room, lingering outside the doorway until he heard the clanging of the fork on the plate. 

This was a good start. A hybrid accepting food from another hybrid or human signified trust. A small step, but at least they were getting somewhere.

Minhyuk wandered into the living room and settled down on the couch next to Jooheon and Changkyun. He briefly explained to them that Kihyun was eating, and that that was a good first step. 

Minhyuk's eyes wandered about the room, wondering where their two oldest had gotten off to. "They're both asleep." Hyungwon filled in, eyes never leaving the book he was reading, lanky body strewn across the back of the couch. 

Minhyuk turned to discreetly nudge Hyungwon, who not so gracefully fell off the back of the couch with a  _thud_. An aggravated hiss sounded from the floor behind the couch and Changkyun giggled.

"Ass." Hyungwon muttered, still on the floor.

"That's what you get for not sitting on the furniture the " _right"_ way." Changkyun laughed, quoting Hyunwoo.

Minhyuk sighed, settling back into Jooheon's comforting hold. His eyes darted down the hall to where he could faintly hear the sound of snoring. 

Hmm. At least their humans listened to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, apologies for being gone so long! I am hoping to get back on track with this story, as well as my other one, as soon as possible. I am also planning a chapter where Moonbin gets to go home that will be coming up soon as well.


	4. Chapter 4: Bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in two days after being gone for months? It's more likely than you think.

Kihyun had been doing well, all things considered. 

After a couple of weeks, he began to come out of his room more often to spend time with the others. He was quicker to warm up to the other hybrids than he was to Hyunwoo and Hoseok. Hyunwoo was fully understanding that Kihyun would need space and time to warm up to them.

Hoseok, on the other hand, tried not to show his hurt when Kihyun would flinch if Hoseok got too close, or when he hesitated to accept anything handed to him by either Hyunwoo or Hoseok.

And then there was the matter of eye contact. 

Kihyun had been living with them for over a month, but had yet to look at Hoseok or Hyunwoo directly.

Hyunwoo was always quick to reassure Hoseok. He could tell Kihyun's reluctance was getting to Hoseok, so he would send frequent reassuring smiles to the younger, and was always sure to hold him extra close at night. 

Kihyun was, however, getting along exceptionally well with Hyungwon.

The two cats appeared to just  _understand_ each other. Minhyuk was fairly certain the two had even spoken to each other, but yet Kihyun was not hesitant to climb up next to Hyungwon in his window seat and watch the world outside. 

The two would just sit there in silence and lazily blink at the birds and cars. Hyungwon would occasionally take a nap, and although Kihyun was always tempted to let the warm sunlight lull him to sleep, he was still not quite comfortable enough to be vulnerable anywhere but his room just yet. 

Much to Changkyun's dismay, Kihyun was not up for any sort of play time or cuddling, let alone scenting. Their youngest had learned this the hard way when Changkyun had let the puppy part of his brain win and had lunged towards Kihyun while he was perched on the end of the couch. (Hyunwoo didn't have the heart to let Kihyun's actions aggravate him like it did when Hyungwon did it - Kihyun needed to be in a higher position to feel safe, and Hyunwoo understood.) Changkyun had just wanted to cuddle the adorable kitty in an oversized sweater but Kihyun had panicked, seeing Changkyun's actions as a threat. He had thrown himself off the side of the couch, darting across the room to hide under the end table. Changkyun, thinking that Kihyun's actions had indicated that he wanted to play, had chased after him, attempting to dive under the table to catch Kihyun. 

Kihyun had panicked. He let out a horribly loud mix between a growl and a hiss, and slashed violently at Changkyun's extended arm. Changkyun yelped, quickly retracting his arm, eyes wide in shock because holy shit he was  _bleeding._

A set of strong arms were quick to wrap around Changkyun's torso and haul him out of the room and into the bathroom to clean his wound. Kihyun was still under the table, growling at anyone who attempted to come close. Hoseok was at a loss for what to do. Hyunwoo was in the bathroom comforting Changkyun, whom Hoseok could vaguely hear crying. Probably more out of guilt than actual pain.

"Kihyun, it's okay," Hoseok attempted to reassure for the millionth time, but his words were falling on deaf ears. Kihyun was much too panicked to listen to anyone.

Or so Hoseok thought.

Hyungwon came down the hallway as he heard the commotion from where he was reading a book on their shared bed. He eyed the crying puppy and Hyunwoo in the bathroom, and headed into the living room. 

Upon gauging the situation; Hoseok on the floor with Jooheon attempting to get Kihyun out from under their table - Hyungwon sighed. He gently nudged Hoseok and Jooheon aside, plopping down on the floor directly in front of the table. The growling from under the table came to an abrupt halt.

"Hey." Hyungwon said casually. "Changkyun didn't mean anything by it. He's a dumb puppy." 

Still no movement from under the table. Hyungwon rolled his eyes.

"No one's mad at you. You're not in trouble for knocking Kyun on his ass. He had it coming."

Still no verbal response, but the tension seemed to drain out of the room. 

"Hey." Hyungwon said again. "Come read with me." 

And with that, Hyungwon made to leave the room and head to his window seat. 

Moments later, a set of ears popped out from under the table, eyes scanned surroundings, and Kihyun took off out of the room to follow Hyungwon.

Jooheon and Hoseok sat on the floor in stunned silence.

"How the hell?" Hoseok blurted.

\---

Kihyun had noticed how his behavior was affecting Hoseok. 

He knew he was not being very kind towards his two humans. 

Kihyun was slowly adjusting to living with all of them, and he was understandably quicker to warm up to the other hybrids than to the humans. Don't get him wrong - it wasn't like he hadn't  _tried_ to bond with them, but he always backed out at the last second out of fear. He didn't know how they would take to him initiating physical contact, as that was never allowed in his previous home.

 _Baby steps._ He kept reminding himself. 

So, a week later, when Hoseok was in the kitchen making dinner (a rare occurrence, but Jooheon was out with Changkyun and Hyunwoo) Kihyun slowly creeped into the kitchen. The human was still completely unaware of his presence; made obvious by how he was humming along to the music coming out of the stereo. Kihyun watched from the door of the kitchen for a few moments, trying to convince himself that Hoseok was harmless, and wouldn't ever hurt him. 

It was when Hoseok got riled up over his favorite part of the song that was playing and began dancing that Kihyun knew for sure. The rare sound of Kihyun's laugh hit his ears before he even realized he'd done it. 

Hoseok laughed, not turning away from his pot on the stove. "You just  _wish_ you could dance like this, Minhyuk!"

Hyungwon looked up from his perch across the room, stretching and blinking lazily. "Not Minhyuk, Hyung." 

Hyungwon and Hoseok shared a look, Hyungwon's gaze sending a clear message -  _don't fucking mess this up, hyung._

Hoseok froze, but was quick to correct himself. He continued his horrible dance, moving to cut up some onions. "Do you want to help with dinner, Kihyun?" 

And then holy shit Kihyun  _was standing right next to him,_ hand slowly reaching to take the knife from Hoseok. "Okay," he quietly mumbled.

Hoseok was screaming internally. Kihyun had touched him  _and_ spoken to him?! Both of which he'd never done before?!  _Praise the-_

"Hyung." Hyungwon warned, noticing Kihyun's faltering confidence because Hoseok was just standing next to him after he had taken the knife and  _oh god no why did I take the knife Hoseok is going to be **mad** -_

Hoseok quickly stepped away to move back towards the pot on the stove. He stirred it in silence for a few moments, but Hoseok had never done well with silence.

"So, um, at work today there was this meeting-" 

"Oh my god," Hyungwon interrupted, getting up and leaving the room, "I cannot be here for this train wreck." If he were to blink, Hoseok would have missed the reassuring smile that Hyungwon sent him as he left the room.

Biting his lip, Hoseok went back to stirring the pot in silence. After a few moments, Kihyun's soft voice broke the silence again.

"I watched a movie about robots with Hyungwon today." 

Hoseok was trying  _desperately_ to keep his excited squeal contained. He settled with a, "thats great!" that came out a bit too loud.

Hoseok watched fondly as Kihyun opened and closed his mouth several times, as if he wanted to say something else. 

"Um," he began, "h-how was work?" Kihyun's nerves about asking such a personal question were rising, his hand shaking as he slowly cut up the onion.

"Ah, it was great! Hyunwoo and I really only had a ton of meetings, but they weren't too bad..." Hoseok continued to animatedly tell Kihyun about his day. Kihyun's nerves vanished within seconds.

From just behind the doorway, Hyungwon grinned, finally stepping away to take a well-deserved nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hyungwon is a grumpy kitty that acts like he doesn't care but he really really does so.  
> In the next few chapters I'll be writing about Kihyun making up with Changkyun, along with some more group bonding between the seven of them.  
> I had originally thought this story was going to be a lot darker, but I just can't bring myself to write a super sad Kihyun right now? There will definitely be angst in later chapters though, no worries lol.  
> Also, I may also be tackling heats among the hybrids, would that be something you guys would like to read?
> 
> ALSO I AM SEEING MONSTA X LIVE T O D A Y I AM NOT OKAY


	5. Chapter 5: Struggling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Felicia <3

Kihyun was frustrated.

Kihyun was very,  _very_ frustrated.

He was sitting in the living room by himself. It was early in the morning; way too early for anyone else in the house to be awake. The sun was just beginning to peek through some clouds outside of the large windows lining the wall.

Kihyun crouched down, pupils dilating, tail swooshing in the air behind him.

There was a speck. Of light. The speck of light was  _disrespecting_ Kihyun and not letting him catch it and-

It moved again. Kihyun lunged across the room, landing on the floor with a graceful  _thud,_ slamming his hands down on top of the speck. To his dismay, as it had done all morning, the evil speck refused to be captured, mocking him by landing  _on top_ of his closed hands no matter  _how many times_ Kihyun trapped the evil specimen.

Kihyun growled again, tail swishing in irritation as the speck jumped across the room once more.

He had been at this for  _hours._

Kihyun let out a mix between a growl and a meow, lunging once more. His ears twitched as he heard someone else in the room, but he was not about to break his concentration on the evil speck;  _refused_ to let it out of his sight again, determined to catch it and present it proudly to his humans. 

Something, or some _one_ , rather, hit the floor next to Kihyun. His ears twitched in acknowledgement, knowing instinctively that it was Changkyun. The pups eyes were also trained on the speck.

Changkyun mimicked Kihyun's position on the floor, but his nose was dragging along the carpet as he sniffed, inching slowly towards the speck.

Kihyun watched as Changkyun pounced on the speck, growing irritated the same way Kihyun had. 

This tactic wasn't working. Kihyun racked his brain for something else.

But alas, the speck continued to escape. Kihyun was darting around the room with angry  _mrrows,_ Changkyun trying desperately to keep up. Eventually, as it had each morning before, the speck reached the corner of the living room and then vanished completely. 

Kihyun frowned, pouting, staring at the space where it had disappeared. Changkyun shot past him, nose on the ground, sniffing cluelessly for any clues about where the speck could have gotten away to.

A  _beep_ from behind Kihyun startled him out of his predator-like trance. It was a sound Kihyun had quickly learned to associate with the light-up blocks every other person in the house insisted on carrying around.

Kihyun turned, aiming his distraught pout towards the owner of the magic brick that had beeped. 

It was Hoseok.

After Kihyun had joined the older in the kitchen a few weeks back to help him prepare dinner, the two had slowly gotten closer. Kihyun would accept things like food from Hoseok, and would occasionally make eye contact or smile at the older.

Hoseok, along with Hyunwoo, had been amazed at how quickly Kihyun had been making progress. He still had bad days; ones where he would hide under his bed all day, refuse to eat, and stare blankly, eyes devoid of emotion at anyone who peeked under the bed to check up on him. There were still days that someone would talk a little too loud and startle him, or one of the humans would say the wrong thing, sending Kihyun into frenzy, and he'd hit the floor and assume the submissive stance that had been drilled into him since he was a kitten.

That was another thing no one in the house knew - how long Kihyun had been stuck in a trafficking ring. No one had ever asked, and Kihyun had never wanted to talk about it. 

"That. Was. Adorable." 

The man behind the phone noise was none other than Hoseok. Kihyun was confused as to how Hoseok thought that basically  _everything_ Kihyun did was cute. Kihyun was even more confused as to how someone as soft and kind as Hoseok was Co-Director of the organization that freed him from his cage.

Kihyun blushed, ears lying flat. 

Changkyun darted back into the room, out of breath. "Hyung! It got away again!" 

This got Kihyun's attention. He looked at the puppy hybrid, their eyes locked, and the two darted off into the adjacent room to continue their search.

A slight pause.

"Alright, who's gonna tell them its just a reflection from the wind chimes on the balcony?" 

\---

Up to today, Kihyun had still been relatively closed off from the rest of them. He would chime in to dinner conversations every once in a while, but for the most part - especially physically - he was still very closed off. 

Hybrids usually loved to cuddle. Cats and dogs especially. When Jooheon had come home, he had been touch-starved and desperate to please his new humans and earn head scratches and tummy rubs. The humans had been quick to teach all of their new hybrids that they could have attention whenever they desired, and that it would never be taken away from them as a form of punishment. 

For Jooheon and Changkyun, that conversation had helped them immensely in their recovery from neglect and abuse. For Hyungwon, it was different. Hyungwon's human side tended to come across as aloof and distant, but everyone knew that inside, he was a complete softie. His cat side, whenever that took the wheel, could alternate between being as aloof as normal and seeking attention. Aggressively.

Hyunwoo had read up on it one night, and discovered how certain breeds of cat, Hyungwon's especially, liked attention in moderation, and on their terms. If they received  _too_ much attention, they would lash out. 

Hyunwoo and Hoseok had quickly learned how to read when Hyungwon was getting overwhelmed. Their clawed up arms had thanked them.

Today, the house was expecting a visitor. Jungsoo, a hybrid that had previously lived in Hoseok and Hyunwoo's home, was stopping by for a visit with his human, Jaehwan.

Jungsoo had been one of the first hybrids deemed unfit for treatment in the Rescue Center. He was taken into Hyunwoo and Hoseok's custody for rehabilitation, and had met Jaehwan, a mutual friend of Hyunwoo's, unexpectedly. The two had hit it off. 

The doorbell had Changkyun's ears pointing straight up, tail going crazy as he let out sounds more animal than human as he darted towards the door. Hyunwoo laughed, pulling Changkyun back gently by looping a finger under his collar.

Jaehwan and Jungsoo entered the room, Jungsoo and Changkyun play-wrestling on the floor when Hyunwoo had let go of his collar. 

Jungsoo was a bunny hybrid, and true to his breed, was  _very_ hyper.

The hybrids and humans settled down together in the living room, light conversation being made. Jaehwan told Hyunwoo all that he had been up to, and had listened attentively while Hyunwoo did the same.

Conversation came to a hault when Kihyun shyly entered the room. His tail was curled around his waist protectively, ears flat as he eyed Jaehwan and Jungsoo. 

"Hey, Ki! This is Jaehwan, and this," Hoseok said, pointing to the bunny, "is Jungsoo."

Kihyun nodded. Hoseok stammered in surprise as Kihyun made his way directly over to him, sitting on the floor between Hoseok's legs. His tail moved up to curl around Hoseok's ankle as he leaned back to rest against the bottom of the couch.

Conversation continued, Kihyun never leaving his position. Eventually, talk of the day Jungsoo moved in with Jaehwan began.

"I was so nervous, I still can't believe Jae puts up with me." Jungsoo laughed. 

"Nah," Jaehwan began, "I can't believe you even let me adopt you, what with the humans you lived with before!" he laughed, motioning towards Hyunwoo and Hoseok.

Kihyun stiffened. Hoseok was the only one who noticed.

Kihyun's tail curled tighter around Hoseok's ankle.

"I was glad to get away from all the commotion. What with all the hybrids you guys have! I still don't know how you handle so many, hyungs." Jungsoo said, smiling fondly.

Kihyun is frozen on the floor. He didn't know that Hyunwoo and Hoseok had had other rescued hybrids living in the house other than Changkyun, Jooheon, and Hyungwon. He didn't know that it wasn't normal to have that many in the house at once. Didn't know that Jungsoo had been adopted by someone else, someone that  _wasn't_ Hyunwoo and Hoseok.

Kihyun's lower lip wobbled. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to go live with someone else, someone he didn't trust, someone he hadn't come to love. He didn't want to leave Jooheon, or Changkyun, or Hyungwon, or Minhyuk. He loved being surrounded by other hybrids, it helped him to feel safe, and the thought of leaving to live with a new human,  _just_ a human, was  _unbearable._

As Jaehwan and Jungsoo stood to leave, giving their thanks and hugging everyone goodbye, Kihyun didn't know what to do. 

Kihyun didn't know if he should latch on to the humans, make it  _impossible_ for them to sell him to anyone else, or if he should distance himself. Cut everyone out so that the transition would hurt less -

"Kihyunnie? Are you okay?" 

Kihyun blushed. He was still on the floor between Hoseok's legs. He flinched, untangling his tail in one swift motion, turning to everyone else in the room and hurriedly excusing himself for bed.

Kihyun rushed to his room, diving under the comforter on his bed. 

He shouldn't be surprised. He really shouldn't. Hyunwoo and Hoseok had said the day they took him home from the hospital that it would be a temporary situation for him to live with them. He shouldn't be surprised that they didn't want another broken hybrid to live with them permanently. 

Kihyun sniffled pitifully. 

He didn't want to leave. It surprised him how  _desperately_ he wanted to stay here with his new family. 

Kihyun closed his eyes, falling into a restless sleep.

\---

He awoke a few hours later, drenched in sweat and shaking all over. 

Kihyun shot up out of the bed, eyes darting around the room. Becoming aware of the fact that he wasn't  _there_ with  _him_ anymore did little to soothe his rapid breathing and shaking form. 

Kihyun was desperate. He couldn't breathe, couldn't stop shaking. 

Hurriedly, Kihyun jumped out of the bed, hands fumbling with the doorknob and wrenching his bedroom door open with much more force than necessary.

Kihyun trusted his instincts to get him where he wanted to be, so when he arrived at the couch in the living room, where Hoseok was strewn across, laptop and papers scattered aimlessly across the coffee table in front of him, Kihyun didn't hesitate to shake the older awake.

"Hyung," Kihyun whispered desperately. But Hoseok wasn't waking up. "Hyung," Kihyun tried again, voice wobbling with tears.

"Hoseok hyung!" Kihyun cried out, shaking him harder, an ugly sob escaping his throat.

Hoseok jolted awake, arms shooting out instinctively, pushing Kihyun away. Kihyun landed on the floor, and Hoseok, still convinced an intruder was in the house, scrambled up to turn on the lamp. 

Light filled the room and Hoseok looked down at the floor in shock.

Kihyun was sitting there, shaking with blood-shot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. 

"I-I don't w-want to leave," Kihyun sobbed out, voice so thick with tears that Hoseok could barely understand him. Hoseok moved to sit down with Kihyun, pulling him close. Despite being incredibly confused, he knew the hybrid obviously needed comfort. 

Kihyun felt desperate. Hoseok wasn't responding! Why wasn't he responding? 

"H-hyung, please, I don't wanna go anywhere else. Please let me stay, I'll d-do anything, I'll be good, hyung  _please,"_ Kihyun's claws were digging sharply into Hoseok's chest and Hoseok was very concerned that Kihyun would pass out if he didn't start breathing properly.

"Baby, who said you have to leave? Where do you think you have to go?" 

"The bunny. Y-you gave him to that human. I don't want another human," Kihyun's claws dug tighter into his fistful of Hoseok's shirt, "I-I want  _you."_

"Oh, Kihyun," Hoseok sighed, now understanding what must have gotten Kihyun so upset, "Jungsoo left because he met Jaehwan and that's who he  _wanted_ to be with. All the hybrids who come live with Hyunwoo and I have the choice to either go back to the shelter to be adopted, or to stay with us. I'm so sorry we didn't do a better job of explaining that to you."

"Can I stay?" Kihyun asked, sniffling into Hoseok's neck.

"Of course you can, baby." 

"D-do you  _want_ me to stay?" Kihyun asked so softly Hoseok almost missed it.

"I can't think of anything that would make me happier."

\---

The next morning, Hoseok and Hyunwoo had finalized Kihyun's adoption papers. The two had sat down with Kihyun and thoroughly explained to him what those papers meant.

"These papers, in no way, shape or form, mean that we own you. You are your own person, and you are always free to come and go as you please. You are our equal. We will never collar you, and will never force you to do  _anything_ that you are not comfortable with. If you would like to get a job, you are free to do so. If you want to go to school, you can do that, too. You name it, and we can make it work, Kihyun."

\---

Kihyun has been with Hyunwoo and Hoseok for three months when Hoseok hears him purr for the first time.

Up until then, Kihyun had been growing more and more comfortable with physical contact. He would cuddle with the other hybrids, and had finally let Changkyun hold him and rub his scent all over him. Hoseok will never forget the look on Kihyun's face when Changkyun asked if he could scent with him.

Hoseok was thrilled at how close he and Kihyun had become. Kihyun would let his side brush against Hoseok's while they sat on the couch, and was no longer hesitant to make eye contact with the older. 

It's when the perfect mixture of exhaustion, loneliness, and need for cuddles hits Kihyun that the perfect storm is created. 

Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Minhyuk had been gone three nights in a row out trying to solve a case. They had yet another ring to take down, but it was based over three hours away so they had to temporarily relocate to a hotel room. 

For the most part, the hybrids were doing okay. Jooheon, Changkyun, and Hyungwon were used to the other three being gone for extensive periods of time for business. They obviously still missed them, but it was less extreme than it was for Kihyun.

In the three months Kihyun had been living with them, the three agents had only been gone during the days, never overnight. Kihyun found himself unable to sleep knowing that his humans and fellow cat hybrid weren't at home, safe.

When the three had finally returned, it was nearly 3am and Kihyun was the only one awake. He was perched in the window seat he shared with Hyungwon, fighting off sleep while guarding the door. The other hybrids had tried to convince Kihyun that he needed to go to sleep, and that their agents would be home the next day, but Kihyun was insistent on waiting for them.

The door crept open, and Kihyun watched, relief flooding his system as three bodies entered the front door. Minhyuk was stumbling, his tail the only thing keeping him balanced as he attempted to get himself down the hallway. Hyunwoo wasn't faring much better, following close behind Minhyuk and entering the bedroom. Kihyun heard them both collapse onto the mattress.

Hoseok remained by the door, glancing down at his phone, face illuminated by the light. Kihyun could tell from his perch how exhausted the older must be. 

To Kihyun's confusion, Hoseok didn't head for the bedroom. He walked towards the couch, continuing to read something on his phone. He tapped the screen a few times, then pulled out his briefcase.

He should be  _sleeping_ not  _working._ Kihyun was upset that his human looked so tired and had been working so hard, but was still refusing to sleep.

Kihyun decided that something needed to be done.

He left his spot on the window seat, approaching the couch with determination. Hoseok looked up upon sensing movement, startled.

"Kihyunnie? Why are you awake?"

The hybrid didn't respond, answering by crawling into Hoseok's lap, taking all of the papers and tossing them blindly behind him onto the coffee table. Kihyun buried his nose in Hoseok's neck, attempting to practice the  _'scenting'_ thing the other hybrids did. 

He understood why they did it. Kihyun didn't realize that Hoseok usually smelled like him until he  _didn't_ smell like him and Kihyun was  _not_ having it.

He felt Hoseok's throat vibrate with a laugh, his hands coming up gently to settle on Kihyun's back, rubbing up and down soothingly.

Kihyun let out a loud purr that startled them both. Kihyun's face went bright red, and he attempted to pull away. Hoseok's grip on him tightened, keeping him in place. 

"Shh, it's okay. You're okay." 

Kihyun relaxed again in Hoseok's hold. The older reached up hesitantly to pet Kihyun's ears. Another huge step. 

Kihyun didn't flinch away. In fact, he bumped his head back into Hoseok's hand when the older went to pull away. He eventually stopped rubbing his face into Hoseok's neck, opting to sag against his chest completely, arms wrapped loosely around Hoseok's neck.

Hoseok continued to rub Kihyun's ears gently, and the hybrid continued to purr, lulling them both to sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ship Kihyun and the speck


	6. Chapter 6: Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaack! 
> 
> I'm apologizing in advance for all of the sad stuff in this chapter. I just thought it would be interesting to explore this aspect of recovery and how it applies to this setting! 
> 
> TW for major character death (JUST A DREAM!!!!!) but please be careful if you need to.
> 
> Sorry for any typos - I typed this over the course of like, three weeks but I just really wanted to get something posted for you guys!

When it came to hybrids in recovery, anniversaries were nearly always a setback.

It had been one year since Hyungwon and Jooheon had been rescued by the HRA. In the days leading up to the 'anniversary' of their rescue, the two hybrids had been acting a bit differently.

Hyungwon had been busying himself with coming across  _too_ normally. He would laze around the house and nap in his window nook like normal, but he was jumpy. He was anxious, more tense than normal. 

Jooheon was the complete opposite. He had been throwing himself at anyone who was available for cuddles, listening attentively to Hyunwoo's explanations of why he was feeling anxious and scared.

Anytime Hyunwoo would approach Hyungwon about what he was feeling, and that it was completely normal, Hyungwon would shrug him off and claim that he didn't need comforting, and was perfectly fine on his own.

Minhyuk, Hyunwoo, and Hoseok were well versed on the power that rescue anniversaries held over abused hybrids. To Hyungwon, who just wanted to be left alone to suffer in peace, it was quite annoying to have three rescue agents walking on eggshells around him.

For Kihyun, the newest hybrid of the house, the shift in the atmosphere that he had slowly grown used to over the months was unnerving. But, when it came to the relationship he had with Hyungwon, the best he could do was to sit next to him in the window seat, and groom his tail if the younger would let him.

It was the afternoon when Kihyun had climbed into the window seat next to Hyungwon, and had reached gently for his tail. Kihyun had run his fingers through it a couple of times before noticing how stiff the owner of the tail had become.

Kihyun immediately loosened his grip, letting Hyungwon's tail hit the bench with a soft  _thud._  

"Hyungwon?" Kihyun asked gently. A feeling of unease rattled his body when Hyungwon didn't reply. Kihyun gently reached out to touch Hyungwon's shoulder, but the other didn't so much as move when Kihyun's fingers gently shook him.

Kihyun leaned forward to get a look at Hyungwon's face. What he saw terrified him.

Hyungwon was staring straight ahead, eyes completely blank and devoid of any emotion. Kihyun was scared. He looked around the room frantically, before remembering it was only him, Hyungwon, and Minhyuk in the house. Last he could remember, Minhyuk was in the kitchen. 

Kihyun silently climbed down from the window bench, moving as quickly as he could into the kitchen. Minhyuk was still there, finishing putting the last few dishes away from breakfast.

"Minhyuk," Minhyuk jumped, the ghost of a laugh gracing his features as he turned to face Kihyun. The laugh vanished once he picked up on Kihyun's expression.

"Something's wrong with Hyungwon."

\---

By the time Minhyuk and Kihyun had rushed back into the living room, Hyungwon had vanished. 

"Hyungwon?" Minhyuk called softly.

"Yeah?" Hyungwon answered, strolling back into the room, book in hand, as if nothing had ever happened. Kihyun's eyes were wide in confusion as he watched Hyungwon plop down on the couch, stretching out lazily.

"B-but you were  _frozen?!"_ Kihyun whispered in confusion. 

"Hmm?" Hyungwon asked lazily, flipping the page in his book, "I was just daydreaming, Kihyunnie."

\---

Odd things like that kept happening throughout the week leading up to Hyungwon and Jooheon's rescue anniversary. All things considered, Jooheon was handling it pretty well. Hyungwon, on the other hand, was still to be determined. 

He was shying away from physical contact (even more than usual). Hyungwon had been quiet, reserved, and snappy if confronted.

Then, the day before the two hybrids were rescued one year prior, the nightmares started.

\---

Hyungwon was restless. He was pacing the living room, books long forgotten on the couch and window seat littered with blankets and even more books - the opposite of how he usually kept it.

"Hyungwonnie, please..." Jooheon trailed off helplessly. 

"For the last time, I'm  _fine,_ Jooheon." Hyungwon hissed out, causing Jooheon to flinch.

Kihyun was perched on the dresser in the far corner of the living room, eyes wide as he watched the scene in front of him. Changkyun was sat on the floor below Kihyun, eyes on his phone and trying to gauge how long it would take Hyunwoo, Minhyuk, and Hoseok to get home. They had been called away last minute for a mission that they couldn't afford to excuse themselves from.

"Hyung, it's nearly three in the morning. You should really try to get some sleep." Changkyun piped in, but it fell on deaf ears.

"If you're so tired, Changkyun, go to sleep. No one's stopping you." Changkyun looked ready to bite back a retort before Jooheon stepped in.

"Hyungwon, come on, we can go lay down in our old room, or the nest, whatever you prefer. Let's just go lie down." Jooheon went to reach for his wrist to pull him into the bedroom, but Hyungwon flinched violently, physically shoving Jooheon away. Kihyun watched Hyungwon's face morph from anger, to apologetic, to absolutely terrified. He crumpled, body hitting the floor, eyes wide at what he had done.

Jooheon had landed painfully, hitting the side of his head on the coffee table. Each hybrid in the room froze as the scent of blood hit their nostrils. 

Hyungwon let out a pained sound that Kihyun had never dreamed him capable of making before darting from the room, the sound of a door slamming shut down the hall resonating though the apartment.

On the floor, Jooheon sniffled. "I shouldn't have pushed him. He just wants to be alone and - "

"Hey, hey, shhhh." Changkyun shushed Jooheon, pulling him close. "You were just trying to comfort him, it's okay, hyung, shh."

Jooheon stood abruptly, "No, it's not okay," he choked out, "I know what he went through and I still..." 

From his perch, Kihyun sighed silently. Why did Hosoek and Hyunwoo have to leave?

\---

An hour or so later, things seemed to have settled down slightly. Changkyun and Jooheon had settled down and fallen asleep curled up with each other on the couch. Hyungwon was down the hall, hidden away in the guest room (which was also currently serving as Kihyun's room) while Kihyun was still in his place on top of the dresser, not quite sure of what to do with himself.

Kihyun was cold, and desperately wanted to go into his room to get the blanket Hoseok had gifted him. But he didn't want to chance walking in on Hyungwon when he was vulnerable.

So Kihyun stayed where he was until he heard the tumblers of the door lock sliding, and their two humans and missing cat hybrid re-entering the apartment.  Kihyun slid down from the dresser and headed into the entryway.

Kihyun's tail moved to wrap around his waist in an effort to self-soothe. When he felt all eyes on him, his ears flattened and his eyes shot to the ground.

"Hyungwon isn't doing well. He locked himself in my room and hasn't been out for hours. Jooheon and Changkyun are asleep on the couch, a-and, um-"

Minhyuk's nose twitched, eyes widening. "Why do I smell blood?"

Kihyun fidgeted with the weight of such a heavy question being thrust on him, "Hyungwon pushed Jooheon and he hit his head."

"Oh, Jesus." Hyunwoo said, sliding past Kihyun and into the living room to check on Jooheon.

Hoseok ran a hand through his hair, "We never should have left."

The three followed Hyunwoo into the living room. Jooheon was perfectly fine, in fact he was still fast asleep. 

Hyunwoo and Hoseok sagged into the one remaining couch, while Kihyun climbed back up into his perch on top of the dresser. Minhyuk took Changkyun's former place at the base of the dresser.

Those that were awake relaxed into the silence for a few brief moments. 

Before a scream sent Kihyun flying off of the dresser, nearly knocking Minhyuk off his feet. Minhyuk grabbed Kihyun to steady him as Hyunwoo and Hoseok shot up and down the hall. 

"Hyungwon?!" Jooheon cried out, lunging down the hall before Minhyuk could even think about trying to stop him. 

\---

Down the hall and huddled under a mound of blankets on the guest room bed, Hyungwon was stuck in a horrific nightmare.

One of the worst days of his life. He had just been dropped back to his cage after one of the "clients" had their way with him. Hyungwon slid all the way to the back of his small cage and began to groom himself to the best of his ability. Today's client hadn't exactly been gentle.

Hyungwon groomed himself over and over again as a distraction. From today's events, from how hungry he was, and definitely from the fact that it was almost morning and Jooheon hadn't been brought back to his cage yet.

Hyungwon and Jooheon had become close simply because of the fact that their cages were next to each other. Jooheon had been there for a month before Hyungwon was brought in, and had tried so hard to explain to the sassy cat hybrid that lashing out was going to get him nowhere. Hyungwon had in turn evolved to develop a protective feeling towards the younger. Jooheon had already been through so much, Hyungwon wasn't sure how much more abuse, starvation, and assault the boy could take.

Hyungwon bit his lip worriedly, glancing around the small storage space all of the hybrids were kept in (eight or so of them at this point, Hyungwon could never really keep track) to make sure Jooheon wasn't just in the wrong cage. 

Hyungwon put all care for his personal safety aside to chance asking one of their guards. "Where's Jooheon?" Hyungwon had meant to yell it, and for it to sound threatening, but all that came out was a throaty rasp and Hyungwon clamped his mouth shut in embarrassment.

The guard ambled over, kicking the side of Hyungwon's cage. Hyungwon jumped despite seeing it coming.

"Shut up, bitch." The guard crouched down beside Hyugwon's cage, hand reaching in between the bars before Hyungwon could prepare himself. His fingers looped behind Hyungwo's collar, tugging him forward and smashing his head against the side of the cage. "Do you honestly think I bother learning your names?" he laughed, letting Hyungwon go. Hyungwon pulled back, gasping for air.

"All any of you are is Slut number one, Slut number two...." He trailed off, laughing as he walked away.

*

Hyungwon had fallen asleep for a brief moment before he heard the door being slid open. He blinked a few times, trying to identify the strange sound he was hearing. It sounded like something was dragging along the floor, and he could hear the tell-tale laugh of one of their common clients. Hyungwon blinked, eyes searching the darkness.

"James, could I please get some fucking light in here? Jesus..." the guard yelled, struggling to drag something. The lights above the shed flickered on, and Hyungwon screamed.

The guard hadn't been hauling another cage, or a cart full of food (one of the main ways they would tempt the starving hybrids into compliance). No - he was dragging  _Jooheon_ across the floor.

Jooheon was in the worse condition Hyungwon had ever seen him in. On top of that, all Hyungwon could smell was  _blood blood blood -_

Jooheon had obviously been whipped - Hyungwon was no stranger to that (he was mouthy and sassy and didn't take anything without a fight) but he was also bleeding from the side of his head, as if he'd been slammed into something.

The guard opened Jooheon's cage, and attempted to slide the unconscious boy inside of it.

"Wait, wait, please, he needs help, he's bleeding too much, he'll bleed out, please let me help him." Hyungwon had said it all too fast but his world was spinning, he could  _not loose Jooheon please dear God no -_

"I swear, if you don't shut your goddamn mouth..." the guard trailed off with a grunt, struggling with getting Jooheon into the cage without having to step foot inside of it himself.

"I can get him in the cage, I'll clean him up, please, please, I can't hear him breathing!" Hyungwon was erratic, scared. The guard looked between him and the limp boy in his arms before sighing.

"Fine, but you owe me, slut." 

The second Hyungwon was released from his cage he darted into Jooheons, pulling him into the cage with him once he was situated. Hyungwon curled over Jooheon protectively as he heard the door click locked behind him. 

It was crammed, much too crammed for two hybrids (let alone a very tall one) but Hyungwon didn't care. He set to work by ripping off the only shirt he had been able to own since being trapped in this hell, attempting to clean up whatever blood he could see. 

Hyungwon had never been more terrified in his entire life. He couldn't loose Jooheon. Jooheon was the only person in the world that had ever cared about him or loved him. Jooheon had looked after him from the first moment he arrived in this hell - he had held Hyungwon and had cleaned him up the first time he had been taken out by a client, had reassured him he was still beautiful and that they would get out of here one day.

All of Hyungon's future plans involved Jooheon. Jooheon was Hyungwon's world. 

He couldn't lose him.

* 

Hyungwon didn't remember falling asleep, but the next thing he knew, he was being startled awake by a loud commotion.

Yelling, so much yelling. And what the fuck, were those gunshots?!

Hyungwon curled more protectively around Jooheon, who was still lying unconscious. He braced himself as he heard the room to the storage shed being opened.

People dressed in funny outfits flooded the room, taking out the rest of the guards. Hyungwon watched in confusion as the guard that had dragged Jooheon back to his cage was handcuffed and dragged away.

The people in funny suits began to let the hybrids out of their cages, leading them outside. Hyungwon hadn't realized how few guards were still around - had some of them already left?

Hyungwon also hadn't realized how many of the hybrids in the room were dead. He watched with vomit rising up his throat as the hybrid three cages down from him was pulled out of her cage and gently placed into a body bag.

Eventually, Hyungwon and Jooheon were the only hybrids left in the room. The doors had been open for a while, letting some fresh air in. But Hyungwon was still scared. Maybe, because his cage was shoved in a dark corner, the police people wouldn't notice them and would just leave them be.

It was to no avail. The two remaining officers in the room shone a flashlight on Hyungwon's cage, taking note of how he wasn't in it. Then they shone the light a little further back into the corner and -

"Oh holy shit." The muscular one uttered, cautiously approaching the cage.

Hyungwon braced himself. He puffed himself up, attempting to look bigger. He bared his teeth and began growling as the two approached.

"Hey there honey, it's okay. We're here to help." he reached for the latch on the cage, but Hyungwon panicked - claws extracting and swiping his hands away.

The other one circled back behind the cage, and Hyungwon shifted, attempting to keep Jooheon out of sight. 

"Oh, honey." the one behind the cage said. And suddenly Hyungwon's whole world became darker as he watched the muscular one motion for one of the other medical people to bring in another body bag.

Hyungwon spun, only now realizing how cold Jooheon was. He wasn't breathing, hadn't been for far too long now. He was motionless, eyes glassed over and completely blank.

Hyungwon began screaming, shaking Jooheon. He felt strong arms wrap around him and yank him out of the cage and away from Jooheon. The strong one restrained Hyungwon as the other reached in to pull out Jooheon, sliding him into another body bag. 

Hyungwon screamed again, lurching towards Jooheon's dead body, throwing himself over it. But it wasn't Jooheon anymore. Instead of his comforting, soft scent, Jooheon reeked of death.

Hyungwon screamed again. 

*

"Hyungwon! Hyungwon!" Hoseok shook the bed, attempting to pull off all of the blankets Hyungwon had buried himself under. The poor cat hybrid was still screaming, lashing around on the bed. Hoseok had never seen the younger like this before, and it terrified him.

Jooheon and Hyunwoo were frozen in the doorway. The second Hyungwon became visible, Jooheon darted across the room and pulled Hyungwon up by his shoulders, shaking him violently.

"Hyungwon, wake up!" Jooheon yelled, desperate. 

Hyungwon's eyes shot open, arms shoving Jooheon away and eyes darting wildly across the room. The screams died in his throat the moment he realized it had all been a dream. 

Hyungwon made a desperate sound filled with so much pain, and flung himself at Jooheon, sobbing into his chest. 

Hyungwon's arms held Jooheon so hard it must have hurt, while his nose worked like crazy to convince his brain that no, Jooheon hadn't died that day. They had been rescued and brought into Hoseok and Hyunwoo's family. Jooheon had been hurt, but he had  _lived._

\---

Later that night, Hyungwon and Jooheon were cuddled on the guest room bed. The others had decided it would probably be best to let the two be alone for the time being.

"What was it about?" Jooheon asked tentatively, when Hyungwon had calmed down enough to allow more than an inch of space between the two of them.

"The day we were rescued." Hyungwon said softly, voice barely audible. "But you weren't alive when they got there."

Jooheon blinked, holding Hyungwon closer. "But I  _was_ alive when Hoseok and Hyunwoo got there. And I still am. And I'm right here. I'm never going to leave you, Hyungwon."

The two held each other close as they each drifted off into a restless sleep.

Yes. Rescue anniversaries were definitely difficult. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry. Next chapter will be a lot lighter! Thank you for waiting and sticking with me <3.


	7. Newcomer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brace yourselves for more angst. (I'm apparently going through another phase where that's all I can write?????)

It was when the leaves began to fall that things began to change again.

Things had  _just_ settled back down after Hyungwon's nightmares. Kihyun had  _just_ started to relax when everything got flipped on its head again.

Hyunwoo, Hoseok, and Minhyuk had been at work a lot lately - even more than usual, which was saying something. When they did come home, they were usually all too exhausted to do much else than crawl to the bedroom and fall asleep.

Kihyun didn't blame them, he really didn't. He knew they were tired. But he was also literally half cat, and once that side of him had gotten a taste of what affection and cuddles were, he couldn't get enough of it. 

Sure he could seek out Changkyun and Jooheon for cuddles (he didn't dare ever try this with Hyungwon - Hyungwon would probably claw his eyes out if he plopped himself over him like he does with Jooheon and Changkyun) but it was  _different_ with their humans. 

It was a late night, after the agents had already gone to bed, that Changkyun shyly spoke up from his seat in the kitchen. 

"Did you smell it?" he asked hesitantly. Jooheon had nodded.

Kihyun was confused. "Smell what?" 

"They all smelled like another hybrid. Not a ton like they usually do, but just one." Jooheon explained.

Hyungwon sucked in a sharp breath. "They can't honestly be thinking of bringing someone else home."

For some reason, the thought of someone else being brought into the house made Kihyun feel uneasy. Kihyun was not a huge fan of change, or new people, or change  _and_ new people all in one go - 

"Kihyunnie, I can hear you thinking. What's wrong?" Jooheon asked. Kihyun just shrugged. He couldn't explain it even if he tried. 

"Seriously though. They're already hardly ever here, they can't possibly expect  _us_ to look after another fucked up hybrid." Hyungwon cursed, pacing the kitchen.

"We don't expect that, Hyungwon." Minhyuk's voice rang out from the entryway, and everyone in the kitchen spun around in embarrassment. Goddamn Minhyuk and his next-level stealth. 

Minhyuk ran a hand through his hair. He was so tired. All Kihyun wanted to do was grab him, groom him, and cuddle him until he fell asleep. 

"Look, we were all going to talk to you about this tomorrow. We are bringing someone new home. His name is Sejin, he isn't doing well in the Rescue Center. We've been spending time after work with him everyday to get him warmed up to us. We'll be bringing him home in three days, probably." Minhyuk said.

Kihyun shifted uncomfortably, a horrible, angry feeling seeping into his gut. Hyunwoo, Hoseok, and Minhyuk were always so tired when they came home, but they still had enough energy to go visit some stranger and give  _him_ cuddles and love and affection?!?!

Minhyuk sighed again, staring at all of the blank faces in the kitchen. "I know it isn't ideal, but he needs our help. Just like all of you did."

Minhyuk answered a few more questions before he started swaying from exhaustion, and Kihyun decided he had had enough. He jumped down from the counter, grabbed Minhyuk's hand, and pulled him down the hallway and towards the bedroom. Kihyun opened the bedroom door, and hesitated only a moment before helping Minhyuk's nearly unconscious body into bed. Once Minhyuk was under the covers, Kihyun took a moment to examine the bedroom. 

In the four months Kihyun had been living with them, he had never stepped foot in their shared bedroom. But now that he was in here, he could see why the others were so comfortable in their shared space.

The bed was enormous, sized to fit probably 10 people comfortably. Hyunwoo and Hoseok were entangled with each other on one end of the bed, while Minhyuk was all alone on the other side. Kihyun shifted. Minhyuk looked cold, despite being buried under several blankets. Kihyun couldn't possibly leave him with no one to cuddle with, could he? And besides, Kihyun was tired, cold, and craving attention so what could it hurt?

Hesitantly, and very slowly, Kihyun crawled under the covers. He scooted closer to Minhyuk, gently reaching up to brush the other's blonde hair out of his eyes. 

Kihyun took a moment to just  _look_ at Minhyuk. Kihyun could forget sometimes, when Minhyuk was gone for a couple days, how  _stunning_ the other cat hybrid was. Kihyun had always admired how effortlessly Minhyuk could transition between the scary, sassy, nothing-but-business work Minhyuk, to this soft, fragile creature lying beside him. 

Kihyun giggled softly as the hand he had running through Minhyuk's hair brushed against his ear, causing Minhyuk's nose to crinkle and fluffy ear to twitch. Kihyun went to retract his hand, but sleepy Minhyuk wasn't having it. He scooted closer to Kihyun, head bumping against Kihyun's hand.

The two fell asleep like that.

\---

The next morning, as usual, Hyunwoo was the first to wake up. He glanced around the room, doing his usual morning head count. 

 _One, two, three, four, five, six -_ wait.

Six! Hyunwoo's eyes widened in shock as his eyes landed on the far side of the bed - Minhyuk and Kihyun were curled around each other, Minhyuk's tail was also wrapped around Jooheon's thigh.

Hyunwoo gently shook Hoseok awake, gesturing with a finger over his lips before drawing the younger's attention to Kihyun.

Hoseok's eyes widened, beautiful smile gracing his features. 

"I think Minhyuk told them all what's happening." Hyunwoo whispered quietly. "I think Kihyun is feeling a bit scared."

Hoseok nodded softly, smile still trained on their newest hybrid. "We'll look after him."

\---

The next day was spent entirely indoors, just the seven of them. Cuddle piles on the living room floor, each of their favorite movies being played while Hoseok made comfort snacks.

For a moment, everything was normal.

\---

Three days later, the three Rescue Agency Agents brought home their newest hybrid - Sejin.

Sejin was not at all what Kihyun was picturing. When he thought of abused hybrids, he usually thought of small, most often times malnourished, lanky, scared looking people. 

Sejin was the complete opposite.

Sejin was  _muscular._ He didn't look scared like every other rescued hybrid Kihyun had met, no, Sejin looked  _angry._

Sejin was also tall - only shorter than Hyungwon by a hair. His muscles gave Hoseok's a run for their money, which automatically made nearly every hybrid in the room uneasy. 

To top everything off, on top of his head were literal  _wolf_ ears.

One look at Changkyun and Jooheon showed they looked just as nervous as Kihyun felt. Hyungwon appeared to be completely indifferent, as usual.

"Hey. I'm Sejin." the intruder said, picking up his backpack and heading farther into the house. Kihyun recognized the backpack as the ones the Rescue Center gave to each hybrid- they contained necessities such as toothpaste, and Kihyun's had even had a little stuffed bear in it.

"Kihyun, do you want to show Sejin to his room?" Hyunwoo asked, eyeing Kihyun encouragingly. Kihyun cocked his head in confusion, before it clicked.

This stranger, this hybrid, this  _wolf_ was going to be sharing Kihyun's room.

The ugly feeling stirred again in Kihyun's stomach.

\---

Once Kihyun had shown Sejin to his,  _their,_ room, he had headed to the couch and tossed his backpack carelessly onto it - sending the blanket Hoseok had gifted Kihyun tumbling off the back of the couch.

Kihyun glared at Sejin's turned back, crossing the room to the couch and retrieving the blanket. He gathered his few belonging and made sure they were all safely on his side of the room.  

"Where's the bathroom?" Sejin asked gruffly, turning to square his gaze at Kihyun. Despite himself, Kihyun looked down at his feet, ears going flat. Wordlessly, he motioned down the hall.

Once Sejin was gone, Kihyun shook his head violently.  _What the fuck was that?!_ He hadn't even been able to stick up for himself.

\---

Things didn't get much better, let alone much less awkward. Jooheon and Changkyun stuck together like glue, Hyungwon kept to himself, and Kihyun tried to stay out of Sejin's way as much as possible. 

Kihyun was also a lot quieter. Hyunwoo and Hoseok had noticed, making sure to give the cat hybrid a lot of extra attention. That would have been great if Sejin hadn't insisted on cuddles whenever he saw Kihyun receiving them.

Kihyun knew he was letting Sejin win by shying away from Hoseok and Hyunwoo whenever Sejin tried to join in. But he couldn't help it - Sejin was  _scary._ He had an incredibly intimidating scent that would make Kihyun's hair stand on end if he was too close. 

So far though, any form of confrontation had been avoided. Kihyun tended to sleep in the shared bedroom while Sejin stayed down the hall. 

That changed when Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Minhyuk were gone on a trip for work. Hyungwon had fallen asleep in his window nook, and Jooheon and Changkyun were tangled together, fast asleep on the couch. 

As usual, Kihyun was the odd one out. Kihyun didn't particularly feel like sleeping alone in a bed meant for 10, so he begrudgingly made his way to his old room - at least his cozy blanket was still there.

Kihyun walked in through the open door, plopping down on his bed. He resisted the urge to plug his nose because now the entire room reeked of  _stinky wet wolf dog._

Kihyun stood, grabbing his blanket and making to leave the room because he would much rather sleep in the living room than in here.

Once he reached the door, he nearly ran straight in to Sejin. Gasping, Kihyun jumped back, apology on his lips before being shut up by Sejin. "Oh! Thanks for the blanket, Kihyun!" 

Before Kihyun could blink, the first gift he had ever received from anyone in his entire life was ripped out of his arms and hauled over to the couch.

"Wait!" Kihyun began, but felt lost for words when Sejin's harsh gaze landed on him. Kihyun froze. it was as if Sejin was  _challenging_ him.  _Daring_ him to say something. 

Despite wanting to, Kihyun couldn't say anything.

Sejin smirked, walking over to the door and shutting it, grabbing Kihyun's arm (not very gently, either) and depositing him onto his bed, effectively cutting off what hopes Kihyun had of easily escaping the situation.

"I have some questions, Kihyun." 

Kihyun blinked in confusion, deciding to at least  _try_ to be nice to Sejin.

"What's the catch with this place?" Sejin asked. 

"There isn't one." Kihyun answered softly.

"Oh come on," Sejin laughed, sprawling his large body across his couch. "There has to be something. Those two buffs can't possibly be this nice all the time."

Kihyun felt that ugly feeling rearing it's head again. "Those two  _buffs_ really are this nice all the time." Kihyun snapped back. He was getting sick of this kid and his ungrateful attitude.

"Oh no, I know what it is." Sejin fake gasped, standing from the couch and coming closer to Kihyun. "Its gotta be the heats, right?" Kihyun visibly flinched, any feelings of anger being replaced with terror at the mention of that simple, ugly word.

" _Excuse me?"_ Kihyun gasped out, voice nothing more than a whisper.

"Oh wow, I totally called it. You're all good fucks during your heats, thats why they're always so happy."

Kihyun's eyes widened, all of the sudden angry again. How  _dare_ this fucker?!

"I'd imagine you," Sejin's eyes trained slowly, grossly, down the length of Kihyun's small frame, "are especially needy during yours. What with how small," Sejin took a step closer to Kihyun, caging him against the wall, "and pretty you are," another step, "I bet you make all  _sorts_ of noises, like the little sl-" 

Kihyun's eyes widened as he realized in what word that sentence was going to end. In a moment of blind rage, Kihyun growled, shoving against Sejin with all he had in him. Sejin laughed, looking as though he had fully anticipated Kihyun's move. 

Hands squeezed down on Kihyun's upper arms, keeping him locked in place. The wolf leaned down, whispering into Kihyun's ear. 

"I have something I need to tell you, Kihyun." he growled, pressing his body against Kihyun's. Kihyun was frozen, body completely paralyzed as Sejin continued. "It wasn't me who needed rescuing by your stupid muscle pigs."

Sejin growled, hands landing on Kihyun's hips, all the wake up call Kihyun needed. Kihyun lunged forward, teeth sinking deeply into Sejin's shoulder. The wolf hybrid shrieked, hands flying off of Kihyun to protect his shoulder. Kihyun took the window of opportunity and  _ran._

He booked it into the living room, hearing Sejin growling loudly behind him. Kihyun arrived back in the living room the second the front door unlocked, Hyunwoo and Hoseok walking back into the house. Relief filled Kihyun's lungs faster than oxygen as he rushed towards them.

Kihyun barreled into Hoseok at the same moment that a loud, horrible, distressed sound erupted down the hall.

Jooheon and Changkyun shot up off of the couch, ears at attention, everyone in the room becoming acutely aware of the fact that a hybrid was in extreme distress.

Hoseok shrugged Kihyun off of him, running with Hyunwoo towards the sound. Kihyun slid against the wall and onto the floor, eyes watering as he watched everyone file out of the living room to help Sejin.

\---

Kihyun stayed on the floor for what felt like an eternity. He remembered that Jooheon had tried to talk to him at one point, voice laced with confusion and something that sounded a lot like hurt.

It wasn't until Hyunwoo crouched down in front of Kihyun and demanded his attention that Kihyun snapped out of it.

"Kihyun, would you like to explain to me what happened?" 

Kihyun opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't find the words. How was Kihyun supposed to explain that a hybrid Hyunwoo and Hoseok had rescued and trusted enough to bring into their home had  _attacked_ him and said such  _vile_ things?

Hyunwoo sighed, taking Kihyun's silence as an admission of guilt. 

"You know it's not okay to bite other people, Kihyun." Kihyun shifted uncomfortably. Yes, of course he knew that, he wasn't a  _barbarian_ , but surely Hyunwoo understood that it was in self defense?

"Sejin told us all what happened." Kihyun was still confused. If they knew what had happened, why did it sound like they were mad at Kihyun and not Sejin? Why wasn't anyone comforting  _him_ instead of Sejin?

Kihyun's eyes watered as he finally placed what was lacing Hyunwoo's tone.

Disappointment.

Kihyun shut down as Hyunwoo kept talking. Saying something about how Sejin was just trying to be nice, and that him borrowing Kihyun's blanket was no reason to  _bite him._

Kihyun didn't even have it in him to get angry. He didn't even have the motivation to tell Hyunwoo the truth. Just the fact that they had immediately believed Sejin over him hurt enough.

Hyunwoo eventually sighed, patting Kihyun's head gently, rising to his feet. "I know this has been hard for you Kihyun. But Sejin is really trying, and we would love it if you would too."

After Hyunwoo walked away, Kihyun became aware of a telephone conversation going on in the kitchen. Hoseok was talking to someone that Kihyun remembered to be a medic at the Rescue Center.

"No, it's not infected. One of our other hybrids felt threatened and bit our newcomer - yes, I cleaned and disinfected it already - No, I don't think a muzzle is going to be necessary. Kihyun usually doesn't behave like this."

Kihyun felt as though he had been slapped. A fucking  _muzzle?!_  

Kihyun had flashes of a dark crate, not being able to see, breathe, hear, smell. Flashes of the days in which a muzzle had always been chained to his collar back when he still had fight in him.

Kihyun felt something inside of him break. It hurt more than all of the times he had been whipped, smacked around, assaulted. It hurt more than all of his once broken bones to know that the only people he had ever loved were disappointed in him. 

For the first time in months, Kihyn felt hopeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes I'm sorry. I feel like I should also mention that Sejin is a completely made up character - he's not based on anyone.
> 
> Also please feel free to leave recommendations for chapters you would like to see - I love hearing what you all think and it really motivates me to keep writing :)


	8. Sejin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sejin's background is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm finally back after nearly 3 months (sorry about that!!!) 
> 
> This chapter isn't my best work, but I've been trying to power through my horrendous writers block and lack of motivation. 
> 
> ALSO: As its been three months since I uploaded, you may wanna go back and re-read the last chapter, or much of this one probably won't make sense as it focuses on my asshole original character, Sejin. 
> 
> Trigger warning for very, very brief non-con scene. Nothing too serious.

Sejin wasn't born the monster that he had become.

Once upon a time, he had been as helpless and weak as any other kidnapped hybrid.

But eventually, he had had enough. He was done being the pathetic little weakling, and years upon years of captivity and abuse had morphed him into a monster he could no longer recognize.

He began scheming, planning. He got in contact with the right people. And soon enough, he was on the other side of the cages rather than inside of them.

The first time Sejin had hurt another hybrid, it hadn't even bothered him. He had become so numb, so desensitized to pain that it didn't even resister as something wrong. Something horrible.

It became like second nature after that. At one point, Sejin supposes he became worse than the humans around him. Worse in the fact that he could easily get other hybrids to trust him, to let their guard down. Worse in the way he could control them with powerful alpha wolf commands, and worse in the way that more times than not, he got off on the pain he could so easily inflict on others.

Until they were brought down by the Hybrid Rescue Association. Until Sejin had been forced to start pretending again. Before he had snapped on a collar and locked himself in a cage to avoid arrest.

The stupid humans hadn't even questioned him. All he had to do was whip up some fake tears and act like he was scared. 

Sejin hated the Rescue Center. He was miserable. Being forced through therapy and doctors visits and tests after tests. But the worst part was the pretending. 

Pretending to be scared when he was just angry and wanted to escape.

Apparently his behavior had drawn some attention. Two men in uniforms and their fucking  _cat_ had started to visit him. 

He could answer their questions easily enough. But it was when they started  _touching_ him that he became angrier. 

Then they told Sejin they were taking him home with them. 

The moment he had walked through the door his nose had crinkled at the smell of other hybrids. Predatory eyes roamed the room to find two dogs and two cats.

Internally, Sejin snickered.

_This should be fun._

_\---_

Two weeks had past since Sejin and Kihyun's first confrontation.

Since then, no one had spoken of it. Kihyun had avoided Sejin like the plague, opting to sleep on the couch rather than in the shared bedroom or his old room. He had pulled away from everyone in the house, keeping to himself and keeping his mouth shut.

Sejin, on the other hand, had been busy. 

He'd been building up rapport with the other hybrids - Changkyun seemed to be the only one buying into it. Sejin would offer to play video games with Changkyun, but Jooheon would always decline to join them. Instead, he would hover in the hallway outside of Sejin's bedroom and prepare himself to step in if necessary.

None of the hybrids had relaxed since Sejin had been brought home, and it was kind of becoming a problem. Hoseok and Hyunwoo had no idea what to do. Any other hybrid they had brought home had went so well, and they had never seen their hybrids take so long to warm up to someone new.

Hyunwoo was the first to begin second-guessing himself. There were certain things that just felt  _off_ about Sejin.

It wasn't until yet another confrontation that the humans of the house were forced to re-evaluate. 

\---

Changkyun was curled up on the beanbag chair in Sejin's room, hands grasping a Nintendo controller. He and Sejin had been playing video games together for an hour or so now.

Sejin moved to change the game, and Changkyun got lost in his thoughts for a moment. He absentmindedly began twirling his fingers around his collar, tugging on it gently. That always helped him to feel grounded and safe.

"Why the hell do you wear that, anyway?" Sejin asked, just as he had been dying to from the moment he laid eyes on the younger dog hybrid.

"Hm?" Changkyun asked, stepping out of his daze.

"Your collar. I would think you would despise wearing one." Sejin repeated.

Changkyun was hit with a wave of insecurity. Sure, it wasn't common for hybrids to wear collars because of the message it tended to send, but it certainly wasn't  _unheard_ of. It had taken Changkyun months to be comfortable enough to ask Hyunwoo and Hoseok to collar him, and even though his humans had been so hesitant, so  _scared_ to purchase a collar for Changkyun, they had done it.

"I, um, it's different here. Different than it was, um, there." Changkyun uttered. No one had ever blatantly asked Changkyun about his collar before.

"Is it though?" Sejin shifted, heaving his body off of his own beanbag and onto the floor in front of Changkyun's. "Isn't it still the same?"

Changkyun shrugged, suddenly very uncomfortable. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

Sejin, however, wasn't having it. "Or, maybe you  _like_ being collared, hmm? How helpless it makes you feel?" 

Changkyun shifted, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. Was that really what everyone thought when they saw him wearing a collar?

"N-no, it's not like that. It makes me feel safe." Changkyun argued petulantly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"So," Sejin started, moving even closer to Changkyun. "It has  _nothing_ to do with the fact that your humans could easily get you under control by doing something like  _this?"_

Sejin looped his fingers underneath the soft fabric of Changkyun's collar and  _yanked,_ making Changkyun whine out an involuntary sound of submission. 

Sejin snickered, climbing on top of Changkyun, eyeing his prey menacingly. 

This couldn't be happening, Changkyun couldn't  _breathe,_ and it wasn't until Sejin leaned down, biting into Changkyun's neck and ground his hips down onto the younger hybrid that he snapped out of it, letting out out a horrendous mix between a whine and a scream.

The door burst open, and Changkyun nearly cried in relief as Jooheon's scent flew into the room, the boy colliding with Sejin and sending him tumbling off of Changkyun. Changkyun scrambled backwards, back on his feet, pressed into the corner of the room. 

Jooheon stood in the center of the room, ears flat, entire body seemingly widened by the menacing, angry stance he held. 

Changkyun had never seen Jooheon angry. 

Changkyun vaguely registered Kihyun darting into the room as well. Immediately, the older cat hybrid placed himself in front of Changkyun, protecting him.

Across the room, Jooheon and Sejin seemed to be squaring off. Even though Sejin was easily two times Jooheon's size, Jooheon was still holding his own. Horrible, angry growls were being emitted by both hybrids.

The sound of fast footsteps were heard rushing down the hallway towards them. Changkyun relaxed only slightly as Hyunwoo entered the room. Kihyun, however, let out a menacing, almost threatening growl at the sight of the human, widening his posture to cover Changkyun, who was still huddled in the corner.

"What the  _hell_ is going on?!" Hyunwoo looked stunned. He had never encountered a situation like this in his own home.

For a while, no one moved. Jooheon refused to break eye contact with Sejin, knowing that so much as a blink would be seen by the older wolf hybrid as a sign of weakness, of submission.

It wasn't until Hyungwon entered the room, and seemed to just  _know._ Hyungwon strutted over to the two aggressive hybrids, placing himself right between them. Abruptly, Hyungwon slammed both of his hands into Sejin's chest, catching him completely off guard. The wolf stumbled back several feet, eyes blown wide. "You think you just get to walk in here and hurt my fucking family?" 

Hyungwon wasn't talking. He was  _yelling._ The cat was  _furious._ "You're going to leave. You're going to leave right fucking now or I'm going to kill you."

"Hyungwon, what the  _fuck-_ " Hyunwoo started to interject, but Hyungwon wasn't having it.

"No, you don't get to talk. You don't know what he's been doing. He's been playing you the whole time. He's been playing all of us. There's no way in hell he was a victim."

Hyunwoo looked shocked, but slowly, a trickle of dread began to grow in his gut. The operation they had rescued Sejin from had been sketchy, one of the oddest they had ever encountered. And Sejin hadn't exactly been acting normally, but the Rescue Center thought that was just because of the trauma he had endured. 

It was all starting to make sense.

Brushing past Hyunwoo, Hoseok silently made his way towards Sejin. Hyunwoo watched through a haze as Hoseok spun Sejin around, locking him in cuffs and dragging him out of the room.

\---

Time seemed to come to a halt after that. Changkyun sunk to the floor, arms wrapping around himself. Suddenly he was all too aware of his collar. Shaking, Changkyun snaked his hands behind his neck to unfasten it. It felt scalding hot against his skin, and memories of shame, embarrassment and humiliation rolled over him in waves. He must have thrown it somewhere, because he heard a noise as it hit the wall opposite him. 

Changkyun didn't realize he wasn't breathing until he felt someone shake him, telling him to breathe. He felt arms wrap around him, slowly bringing him back to the present. 

After what felt like a long while, his eyes finally blinked back open, bringing the world back into focus. He felt whoever had been talking him down -  _Kihyun,_ \- let out a sigh of relief. 

Changkyun slowly brought his surroundings into focus. Jooheon was curled against the wall opposite Changkyun, knees drawn into his chest, head buried. Hyungwon was arguing softly with Hyunwoo in the doorway. Changkyun could have sworn it was about who was taking Sejin away if the aggravated "just go!" Hyunwgon had hissed out had been any indication. 

Changkyun noticed, through his clouded mind, that after Hyunwoo and Hoseok had left, Kihyun had calmed down tremendously. 

Changkyun could kind of understand why. He knew that Hyunwoo and Hoseok would never do anything to intentionally hurt them. But they had allowed a stranger, a hybrid with an incredibly dark past, into their home without asking enough questions. If Changkyun hadn't been living with them for over a year, he might be feeling the exact way Kihyun was right now.

But for now, Changkyun could simply grab Kihyun's hand an offer a small, weak smile of encouragement. 

Things were going to be okay, but they would certainly have to have some hard conversations first. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're finally rid of Sejin.
> 
> If any of you have any suggestions for where you would like to see this story go direction wise, please leave a comment! I think hearing what you guys want will help with my writers block, so if you don't wanna wait another three months, please help me out! Lol.
> 
> Love you all, thank you so much for your patience and support. I may not respond to all of the comments you guys leave me, but I promise I read and appreciate each and every one of them. <3


End file.
